Wednesday, September 12, 2018

THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME: There is nothing better than racing at home. Just ask Western Oregon and Alaska Anchorage.

Both the Wolves and Seawolves picked up a pair of team victories in races run last weekend on each team’s home course. Western Oregon saw its men’s team score 21 points and its women’s team score 42 points to pick up victories at Friday’s Ash Creek Invitational.

The WOU men placed 11 runners in the top-15 to pad its victory. The Wolves were led by senior Dustin Nading, who won his season debut in 21:02.5 over 7,000 meters. The win earned Nading selection as the GNAC Men’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week. In all, the gap between the No. 1 and No. 5 runners was 44 seconds.

The Wolves’ women were led by freshman Kaylin Cantu, who placed third in a time of 19:57.1 over 5,000 meters. Four of WOU’s top-five runners placed in the top-10.

Alaska Anchorage, meanwhile, posted a perfect score of 15 points in both the men’s and women’s race in a dual against Alaska at the New Balance Skinny Raven Classic in Anchorage. Junior Wesley Kirui, a transfer from Division I Hampton, won in his UAA debut as he covered the men’s 7,000-meter course in 21:07.2. Sophomore Felix Kemboi placed second in 21:09.4.

Junior Emmah Chelimo was named the GNAC Women’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week after she placed second in the women’s 6,000-meter race in a time of 21:19.9. She was beaten by an athlete of elite caliber in Rosie Brennan, who was a member of the 2018 U.S. Olympic Team in Nordic skiing.

FOUR MORE TEAMS START SEASON THIS WEEKEND: After this weekend, all 11 GNAC cross country programs will have started competition. Central Washington will host Seattle Pacific and Western Washington on Saturday at the CWU Invitational at Ellensburg’s Rotary Park. Simon Fraser will open the season in San Diego, participating in the USD Invite.

BREAKING THE TAPE: The list of GNAC athletes who have won races during the 2018 season...

MEN
• Hunter Hutton (WOU): Linfield Harrier Classic, Aug. 31 (19:47.0, 6,000 meters).
• Wesley Kirui (UAA): New Balance Skinny Raven Classic, Sept. 8 (21:07.2, 7,000 meters).
• Dustin Nading (WOU): Ash Creek Invitational, Sept. 7 (21:02.5, 7,000 meters).

THIS WEEK'S GNAC ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
MEN
Dustin Nading, Western Oregon
Senior • Longview, Wash.

Making his season debut at home, Nading won the Ash Creek Invitational by four seconds over teammate Tyler Jones. Nading covered the 7,000-meter course in 21:02.5, averaging 4:50 per mile. He led the Wolves to the team victory with 21 points.

Also Nominated: Wesley Kirui (Alaska Anchorage), Noah Murry (Concordia), Godfrey Kemboi (Northwest Nazarene).

WOMEN
Emmah Chelimo, Alaska Anchorage
Junior • Iten, Kenya

Opening the season at the Skinny Raven New Balance Classic in Anchorage, Chelimo finished second in the women’s 6,000-meter race in a time of 21:19.9. She was beaten only by Rosie Brennan, who was a 2018 U.S. Olympian in Nordic skiing. Chelimo led the Seawolves with a perfect score of 15 points to beat Alaska in a dual team competition.

Also Nominated: Bailey Fjelstul (Concordia), Kaylin Cantu (Western Oregon).

AROUND THE GNAC
ALASKA
LAST WEEK: Sept. 8: at New Balance Skinny Raven Classic; Men - 2nd of 2, 49 pts.  Women - 2nd of 2, 46 pts.
THIS WEEK: No Meet

• Alaska opened the 2018 season in Anchorage last weekend, taking second in a pair of dual meet races against 49th state rival Alaska Anchorage.

• The Nanooks’ women were led by senior Alexandra Bergholtz, who placed eighth in the 6,000-meter race in 22:39.2. Freshman Anja Maijala finished two places back in eighth with a time of 23:00.3 in her collegiate debut.

• Junior Lukash Platil paced the UAA men in the 7,000-meter race as he placed eighth in a time of 22:38.4. Tristan Sayre was the Nanooks’ No. 2 runner, placing 14th in a time of 23:42.9.

• Alaska will take a week away from competition before coming to the lower 48 on Sat., Sept. 22, for the Ken Garland Classic at Saint Martin’s University in Lacey, Wash.

ALASKA ANCHORAGE
LAST WEEK: Sept. 8 at New Balance Skinny Raven Classic; Men - 1st of 2, 15 pts.  Women - 1st of 2, 15 pts.
THIS WEEK: No Meet

• Alaska Anchorage posted a pair of perfect 15-point team scores in a dual meet race over Alaska at the New Balance Skinny Raven Classic to open the 2018 season.

• Junior Emmah Chelimo was named the GNAC Women’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week after she placed second in the women’s 6,000-meter race, covering the course in 21:19.6. She averaged 4:54 per mile. Chelimo was beaten in the race by Rosie Brennan, who was a member of the 2018 U.S. Olympic Team in Nordic skiing.

• Sophomore Nancy Jeptoo finished fourth for the Seawolves in a time of 21:53.2 while senior Danielle McCormick was fifth in 22:04.8.

• Junior Wesley Kirui, running in his first race for UAA, won the men’s 7,000-meter race in 21:07.2 to lead a top-five sweep for the Seawolves. Sophomore Felix Kemboi was second in 21:09.4 while senior Jorge Sanchez was third in 22:10.7.

• Both the UAA men and women earn spots in the USTFCCCA Division II Preseason Coaches Poll. The Seawolves’ women are tied for eighth while the men are tied for 21st.

• Alaska Anchorage will not compete again until Sat., Sept. 22, when the Seawolves travel to Las Vegas for the UNLV Invitational.

CENTRAL WASHINGTON
LAST WEEK: No Meet
THIS WEEK: Sept. 15 at CWU Invitational

• Central Washington will open its 2018 cross country season at home on Sat., Sept. 15, hosting the CWU Invitational at Ellensburg’s Rotary Park.

• Both the Central Washington men and women are picked to finish fifth in the GNAC Championships this season. The CWU women placed fifth at the 2017 GNAC Championships and return All-West Region senior Alexa Shindruk, who placed 11th to lead the Wildcats.

• Central Washington’s men placed sixth at last year’s conference meet. Senior Tyler Humphries is the team’s top returning finisher, placing 29th.

CONCORDIA
LAST WEEK: Sept. 7 at Ash Creek Invitational; Men - 5th of 9, 149 pts.  Women - 4th of 7, 93 pts.
THIS WEEK: No Meet

• Concordia saw its women’s team take fourth place and the men place fifth in a preview of the GNAC Championships course at the Ash Creek Invitational.

• The Cavaliers’ women placed three runners in the top-20 on the 5,000-meter race. Junior Bailey Fjelstul led the way with her 13th place in a time of 21:05.8 while junior Gabby Hobson was close behind in 14th place in 21:05.9. Junior Kaitlyn Bailly finished in 19th place in 21:41.0.

• Junior Noah Murry was Concordia’s top placer in the men’s 7,000-meter race, taking 20th in a time of 23:15.6. Freshman Josh Allen was 37th in 24:42.4 while freshman Max Rotar was 38th in 24:44.6.

• After running on both of the first two weekends of the season, Concordia will not compete on either of the next two weekends. The Cavaliers return on Sat., Sept. 29, at the Willamette Charles Bowles Invitational.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
LAST WEEK: No Meet
THIS WEEK: Sept. 15 at MSU Cross Country Classic

• Montana State Billings last compete at the Hardrocker Classic on Sept. 1 in Rapid City, S.D.

• Senior Ivan Colmenero started his final collegiate season strong, placing eighth in a time of 27:45.93 over 8,000 meters. Junior Ronald Venema placed ninth in 27:59.81.

• Junior Nikki Aiken, the only returning athlete on the women’s team, opened the season placing eighth with a time of 20:53.89 over 6,000 meters. Sophomore junior college transfer Ruth Chepsat finished 12th in a time of 21:14.77.

• The Yellowjackets will head west on Saturday to compete at the MSU Cross Country Classic in Bozeman, Mont.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
LAST WEEK: Sept. 8 at CSI Invitational; Men - 4th of 4, 101 pts.  Women - 4th of 6, 106 pts.
THIS WEEK: No Meet

• Opening the 2018 season against Division I competition, Northwest Nazarene scored a pair of fourth-place team finishes at the CSI Invitational in Twin Falls, Idaho.

• Junior Godfrey Kemboi led the Nighthawks in the men’s 7,000-meter race, placing sixth in a time of 23:07.62. Freshman Tyler Shea finished 22nd in his collegiate debut with a time of 24:03.97.

• Junior Bethany Danner was NNU’s top women’s placer. She finished in 15th place as she covered the 5,000-meter course in 20:01.17. Freshman Kalen Johnson finished 18th in her college premiere with a time of 20:16.15.

• Late last week, Danny Bowman was announced as the Nighthawks’ new head cross country and track and field coach. A 2005 graduate of Northwest Nazarene, Bowman returns after four seasons as the head coach at Concordia-Irvine.

• Northwest Nazarene is off this weekend and will return to the course on Fri,. Sept. 21, at the Eastern Oregon Invitational in La Grande, Ore.

SAINT MARTIN’S
LAST WEEK: No Meet
THIS WEEK: No Meet

• Saint Martin’s last raced on Sept. 1, placing third in both the men’s and women’s races at the Puget Sound Invitational.

• Senior Lindsey Dorney placed second in the meet. She covered the 6,000-meter course in a time of 24:01. She was 20 seconds behind the winner, Emery Bradlina of Puget Sound. Freshman Alyssa Robinson placed ninth in 26:28.

• Freshman Andrew Oslin led the SMU men in his first collegiate meet, placing fourth in a time of 27:51 over 8,000 meters. Junior Colton Buster was not far behind, placing 10th in 28:18.

• The Saints do not compete again until Sat., Sept. 22, when they host the Ken Garland Classic. The meet is named in memory of the school’s longtime baseball coach, who passed away unexpectedly last spring.

SEATTLE PACIFIC
LAST WEEK: No Meet
THIS WEEK: Sept. 15 at CWU Invitational

• Seattle Pacific was scheduled to open the season last Saturday at the Sundodger Invitational, but this year’s meet is being limited to Division I competition. With the cancellation, the Falcons will open this Saturday at the CWU Invitational.

• The Falcons’ women are picked to repeat their fourth-place finish at this year’s GNAC Championships. Sophomore Dania Holmberg is the team’s top returning placer, finishing 19th.

• The SPU men are predicted to repeat an eighth-place finish. Sophomore Elius Graf is the team’s top returning conference meet finisher, placing 41st as a freshman.

SIMON FRASER
LAST WEEK: No Meet
THIS WEEK: Sept. 15 at USD Invitational

• Simon Fraser was scheduled to compete at the Sundodger Invitational last Saturday, but this year’s meet is being limited to Division I competition. The Clan will now open this Saturday at the USD Invitational in San Diego.

• Both the SFU men and women are in the USTFCCCA Division II Coaches Top-25 preseason polls. The women are No. 11 while the men are No. 16.

• The Simon Fraser women are picked repeat in second place at the GNAC Championships this year. The Clan will be led by sophomore Olivia Willett, who placed ninth to earn All-GNAC honors.

• The SFU men are picked to repeat a third-place finish at the conference meet, tying with Western Washington in voting. The Clan returns two All-GNAC athletes in senior Sean Miller, who placed fifth in 2017, and senior Rowan Doherty, who placed seventh.

WESTERN OREGON
LAST WEEK: Sept. 7 at Ash Creek Invitational; Men - 1st of 9, 21 pts.  Women - 1st of 7, 42 pts.
THIS WEEK: No Meet

• Running on its home course, Western Oregon was a team winner in both the men’s and women’s races at the Ash Creek Invitational.

• The Wolves’ men placed 11 runners in the top-15 and finished with a score of 21 points, 24 points better than second place Willamette.

• Senior Dustin Nading was named the GNAC Men’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week after he won the 7,000-meter race in a time of 21:02.5, averaging 4:50 per mile. Nading, the 2017-18 Google Cloud/CoSIDA Division II Cross Country/Track and Field Academic All-American of the Year, was four seconds better than teammate Tyler Jones. The senior placed second in 21:06.8.

• Rounding out the WOU scoring five was junior Justin Crosswhite (fifth, 21:36.8), senior Parker Marson (6th, 21:39.8) and freshman Hunter Hutton (seventh, 21:46.9).

• The WOU women won with a score of 42 points, edging second-place Corban by three points. Freshman Kaylin Cantu led the Wolves with a third-place finish, covering the 5,000-meter course in a time of 19:57.1.

• Sophomore Shayla Solomon was seventh in a time of 20:28.6. Junior Rachel Bayly finished eighth in 20:37.7 and senior Cassie McKinney placed ninth in 20:44.4.

• The Western Oregon men opened the year ranked No. 13 in the USTFCCCA Division II Preseason Coaches Poll.

• Western Oregon will not race this weekend, returning to action on Fri., Sept. 21 at the SF State Invitational in San Francisco.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
LAST WEEK: No Meet
THIS WEEK: Sept. 15 at CWU Invitational

• Western Washington will open the 2018 season on Saturday, competing at the CWU Invitational.

• Both the Vikings’ men’s and women’s teams are picked to finish third at the GNAC Championships this season. The Vikings’ women placed third at last year’s meet, the final of three to be held on WWU’s home course at Lake Padden. Junior Tracy Melville is the team’s top returning placer after finishing 13th last year.

• The WWU men tied with Simon Fraser in the coaches’ voting after finishing in fourth place last year. The Vikings’ top returning placer is senior Jadon Olson, who earned All-GNAC honors with a sixth-place finish. The Vikings also return senior Isaac Derline, who redshirted in 2017 after placing third at the 2016 GNAC Championships.