GNAC Cross Country

November 21

Pixler, Porter Finish 1-2 at NCAA Nationals


Pixler	Porter

Jessica Pixler won a record third consecutive NCAA Division II national cross country title leading Seattle Pacific to the best finish by a West Region women's team in the national meet Saturday at Evansville, Indiana.

Pixler became the first female in Division II history to win three individual titles and only the third in any division to accomplish that feat.

The other three-time winners are Sally Kipeygo of Texas Tech (2006-08 in Division I) and Missy Buttry of Wartburg (2002-04 in Division III). She now has nine NCAA championships - three in cross country, four in indoor track & field and two in outdoor track & field.

“To go out there and make (D-2) history, that’s pretty special," SPU coach Erika Daligcon said. "It just speaks to the work. She’s definitely talented, but she has put in all those hours of work.”

Pixler finished first in a time of 20:22.6, just 7 1/2 seconds ahead of Sarah Porter of Western Washington who was timed in 20:30.1.

It was Pixler's first single-digit margin of victory in her 11 cross country championship wins (four in the GNAC, four in the NCAA West Region and three at the national meet) since she won the GNAC title in her freshman season by just three seconds.

Porter’s second-place finish was the best by any Western Washington cross country runner in school history. “Sarah’s strategy was not to go out with the leaders and expend too much energy,” WWU coach Kelven "Pee Wee" Halsell said. “At the halfway mark, she went out and really started dropping people and she was really pulling on Pixler at the end.”

Led by Pixler, Seattle Pacific placed fourth in the team race with 151 points, seven points ahead of GNAC and West Region champion Alaska Anchorage, which placed fifth. Western Washington finished eighth.

The Vikings matched Seattle Pacific's fourth place finish in the men's division, finishing in back of three teams from the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.

Jordan Welling was Western Washington's top male placer, finishing 13th in a time of 31:44.6. Welling was one of nine GNAC athletes - four men and five women - to earn All-American honors with Top 40 finishes.

Also earning All-American honors in the men's race were Chris Reed of Western Oregon, Barak Watson of Northwest Nazarene and Micah Chelimo of Alaska Anchorage.

Reed and Watson, competing as individuals placed 35th and 38th, respectively, in times of 32:28.5 and 32:30.1. Chelimo placed 40th in a time of 32:34.3 leading the Seawolves to a 17th place team finish.

Earning All-America honors in the women's race in addition to Pixler and Porter were Miriam Kipngeno and Ruth Keino of Alaska Anchorage and Lauren Breihof of Western Washington.

Kipngeno finished 14th in a time of 21:16.7 and Keino was 39th in 21:58.2. Breihof placed 31st in 21:48.7.

In addition to SPU, UAA and WWU in the women's division and WWU in the men's division, Chico State's men (8th) and women (6th) also earned Top Eight team finishes.

Under the system currently in place, that means the West Region will receive six women's team berths and four men's team berths in the 2010 national meet up from the four women's berths and three men's berths it received this season.

Men - Adams State 23, Western State 86, Colorado Mines 153, Western Washington 170, Grand Valley 185, Southern Indiana 228, Queens (NC) 256, Chico State 284, Harding 296, Augustana 313 (17. Alaska Anchorage 415). All-Americans (10,000 Meters) - 1. Reuben Mwei, Adams State, 30:27.8; 13. Jordan Welling, WWU, 31:44.6; 35. Chris Reed, WOU, 32:28.5; 38. Barak Watson, NNU, 32:30.1; 40. Micah Chelimo, UAA, 32:34.3. Others - 42. Marko Cheseto, UAA, 32:38.8; 45. Anthony Tomsich, WWU, 32:44.7; 52. Eric Brill, WWU, 32:48.6; 56. Bennett Grimes, WWU, 32:53.7; 61. Blake Medhaug, WWU, 32:59.9; 79. Greg Kubitz, WWU, 33:18.0; 94. Alfred Kangogo, UAA, 33:39.6; 97. Yonas Berhe, WWU, 33:41.5; 143. Michael Adams, UAA, 34:56.4; 174. William Estes, UAA, 36:42.5; 180. Paul Rottich, UAA, 37:26.5.

Women - Adams State 73, Grand Valley State 81, Missouri Southern 104, Seattle Pacific 151, Alaska Anchorage 158, Chico State 172, Minnesota Duluth 294, Western Washington 300, Western State 306, Tampa 308. All-Americans (6,000 Meters) - 1. Jessica Pixler, SPU, 20:22.6; 2. Sarah Porter, WWU, 20:30.1; 14. Miriam Kipngeno, UAA, 21:16.7; 31. Lauren Breihof, WWU, 21:48.7; 39. Ruth Keino, UAA, 21:58.2. Others - 45. Hallidie Wilt, UAA, 22:09.9; 46. Suzie Strickler, SPU, 22:11.5; 47. Jane Larson, SPU, 22:12.0; 49. Natty Plunkett, SPU, 22:12.5; 53. Shoshana Keegan, UAA, 22:16.3; 62. Kate Harline, SPU, 22:24.8; 63. Laura Carr, UAA, 22:27.1; 65. Courtney Olsen, WWU, 22:30.2; 80. Lisa Anderberg, SPU, 22:43.5; 112. Kirsten Moore, WWU, 23:13.1; 152. Emma Bohman, UAA, 23:58.5; 153. Sierra Brisky, WWU, 24:02.0; 163. Mary Williams, SPU, 24:15.3; 166. Danielle Slaughter, WWU,24:31.7; 172. Ariel Roelle, UAA, 24:54.0; 181. Emily Wallen, WWU, 26:09.4.

November 7

Alaska Anchorage Wins West Regional Title; Pixler Earns Fourth Title


Cheseto	Pixler

Alaska Anchorage placed five runners in the top 14 and won its first-ever NCAA Division II Women's West Regional team cross country title Saturday at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.

It was a great day for GNAC athletes as the conference claimed both individual titles, five of the seven available team berths for the NCAA national meet Nov. 21 at Evansville, Indiana, and 18 of the 30 spots on the all-region team that go to the Top 15 in each race.

Seattle Pacific's Jessica Pixler won her fourth straight individual title covering the women's 6,000 meter layout in a course-record time of 20:08.9. Meanwhile, UAA's Marko Cheseto, who placed second a year ago, won the men's 10,000 meter race in a time of 30:42.5.

Hallidie Wilt led UAA to the women's team title with a score of 35. Wilt placed third in a time of 21:11.5, 29.2 seconds behind Western Washington's Sarah Porter who was second in 20:42.3.

The Seawolves, whose previous best region finish had been third (in 2004, 2005 and 2008) also got all-region performances from Ruth Keino (4th), Miriam Kipngeno (5th), Laura Carr (9th) and Shoshana Keegan (14th) in easily outdistancing defending champion Chico State, which finished second with 58 points.

Joining the Seawolves and Chico as women's national team qualifiers were Seattle Pacific (3rd) and Western Washington (4th).

Chico State, meanwhile, won its eighth straight men's team title with 42 points. Western Washington and Alaska Anchorage also qualified for the national meet with team scores of 74 and 96.

Qualifying as individuals were Chris Reed of Western Oregon and Barak Watson of Northwest Nazarene. Reed finished eighth and Watson placed 11th. Reed is the first WOU athlete and Watson is the first NNU male athlete to qualify for the NCAA Division II national meet.

In addition to Pixler, Porter and the five Alaska Anchorage athletes, Jane Larson of Seattle Pacific (7th) and Lauren Breihof of Western Washington (12th) earned women's all-region honors.

Joining Cheseto, Reed and Watson on the men's all-region team were Jordan Welling (2nd), Anthony Tomsich (7th) and Bennett Grimes (12th), all from Western Washington; Micah Chelimo (3rd) and Alfred Kangogo (10th), both from Alaska Anchorage and Mike Schmidt of Western Oregon (14th).

Men - Chico State 42, Western Washington 74, Alaska Anchorage 96, Western Oregon 105, Cal Poly Pomona 129, Humboldt State 157, Northwest Nazarene 212, CSU Stanislaus 248. UC San Diego 262, BYU-Hawaii 303, San Francisco State 314, Hawaii Pacific 324, Saint Martin's 340, Central Washington 362, Hawaii Hilo 433, MSU Billings 464, Grand Canyon 475, Notre Dame de Namur 477, Alaska Fairbanks 552, CSU Monterey Bay 579. All-Region (10,000 Meters) - 1. Marko Cheseto, UAA, 30:42.5; 2. Jordan Welling, WWU, 30:59.4; 3. Micah Chelimo, UAA, 31:05.6; 4. Brent Handa, Chico State, 31:07.8; 5. Jimmy Elam, Chico State, 31:11.4; 6. Beau Gradone-Rogers, Chico State, 31:16.4; 7. Anthony Tomsich, WWU, 31:23.7; 8. Chris Reed, WOU, 31:26.1; 9. Michael Wickman, Chico State, 31:30.9; 10. Alfred Kangogo, UAA, 31:35. 80; 11. Barak Watson, NNU, 32:39.8; 12. Bennett Grimes, WWU, 31:42.9; 13. Jersain Torres, CPP, 31:45.8; 14. Mike Schmidt, WOU, 31:46.3; 15. Andrew Sylvester, HSU, 31:50.7.

Women - Alaska Anchorage 35, Chico State 58, Seattle Pacific 75, Western Washington 121, Cal Poly Pomona 197, Northwest Nazarene 200, UC San Diego 217, Cal State L.A. 245, BYU-Hawaii 300, Western Oregon 303, Humboldt State 304, CSU Stanislaus 306, San Francisco State, 339, MSU Billings 352, Hawaii Pacific 396, Alaska Fairbanks 403, CSU San Bernardino 414, Central Washington 420, Sonoma State 490, Saint Martin's 536, Hawaii Hilo 634, CSU Dominguez Hills 641, CSU Monterey Bay 715, Grand Canyon 726, Notre Dame de Namur 753. All-Region (6,000 Meters) - 1. Jessica Pixler, SPU, 20:08.9; 2. Sarah Porter, WWU, 20:42.3; 3. Hallidie Wilt, UAA, 21:11.5; 4. Ruth Keino, UAA, 21:11.8; 5. Mariam Kipngeno, UAA, 21:17.9; 6. Tori Tyler , Chico State , 21:23.5; 7. Jane Larson, SPU, 21:28.8; 8. Julie Shaw, Chico State , 21:29.4; 9. Laura Carr, UAA, 21:30.03; 10. Vivien Wadeck, CSULA, 21:34.2; 11. Megan Rolland, Humboldt State , 21:41.5; 12. Lauren Breihof, WWU, 21:44.5; 13. Alia Gray, Chico State , 21:45.0; 14. Shoshana Keegan, UAA, 21:45.7; 15. Kara Lubieniecki, Chico State, 21:48.7.

October 24

Pixler, Cheseto Successfully Defend; Seawolves, Vikings Win Team Titles


Cheseto	Pixler

Jessica Pixler of Seattle Pacific won an unprecedented fourth straight individual title and Alaska Anchorage claimed its first-ever women's team title in the ninth annual Great Northwest Athletic Conference cross country championships Saturday morning on the Apple Ridge Run course near Yakima, Wash.

In the men's race Marko Cheseto of Alaska Anchorage became the first male runner to win back-to-back GNAC individual titles, covering the 8,000 meter course in a time of 24:50.

Western Washington, however, dethroned the defending champion Seawolves, winning its third team title in four years and its fourth overall with a score of 33. The Seawolves finished second with 70 points.

WWU's team score was the lowest since Northwest Nazarene posted a record low score of 32 in winning the inaugural meet in 2001 in Anchorage.

Pixler, the two-time defending NCAA Division II national champion, covered the 6,000 meter women's layout in a time of 21:03, an improvement of nine seconds over the mark she posted on the same course a year ago.

Pixler's time was the second fastest in meet history, trailing only a time of 20:53 she ran in 2007 at Nampa.

Sarah Porter of Western Washington finished second in 21:13 earning her third straight Top 10 finish.

Alaska Anchorage placed five runners in the top seven led by Miriam Kipngeno in third in a time of 22:02 to win the team title with 25 points, the second lowest team score in GNAC history.

Seattle Pacific, which scored a GNAC record low 24 points in winning the 2007 title, finished second with 48 points. Western Washington was third with 64 points.

Kipngeno earned GNAC Female Freshman-of-the-Year honors and led a pack of five UAA runners who were separated by just 16 seconds. Among the five was Laura Carr, who placed seventh in a time of 22:18 to join Pixler as a four-time all-conference performer. Jane Larson of Seattle Pacific also earned her fourth all-conference award with an eighth-place finish.

The Top 10 finishers earn all-conference honors. Pixler and Carr joined UAA's Stacy Edwards (2001-03, 05) and Mandy Kaempf (2003-06) as the only female runners in meet history to earn that honor four times.

Michelle Phillips of Northwest Nazarene placed 16th in a time of 23:22 to win GNAC Female Newcomer of the Year honors.

In the men's race, Cheseto finished 15 seconds ahead of Bennett Grimes of Western Washington to win his second individual title. Grimes, however, led a quartet of Viking runners who placed in the Top 10 as WWU reclaimed the team championship it first won in 2003 and then again in 2006 and 2007.

In addition to Grimes, WWU got a third-place finish from Jordan Welling, a sixth from Anthony Tomsich and a ninth from Blake Medhaug. It was the third consecutive Top 10 finishes for Grimes, Welling and Medhaug.

Also earning all-conference honors with Top 10 finishes were Alfred Kangogo (4th) and Micah Chelimo (5th), both of Alaska Anchorage; Chris Reed of Western Oregon (7th); Kyle Van Santen of Saint Martin's (8th) and Barak Watson of Northwest Nazarene (10th).

Chelimo won GNAC Male Freshman of the Year honors and Manuel Santos of Central Washington, who finished 14th in a time of 26:01, was the GNAC Newcomer of the Year award winner.

Joining Pixler, Porter, Kipngeno, Carr and Larson on the women's all-conference teams were Shoshana Keegan (4th), Ruth Keino (5th) and Hallidie Wilt (6th), all of Alaska Anchorage; Lauren Breihof of Western Washington (9th) and Jaclyn Puga of Northwest Nazarene (10th).

Women's Team Scores - Alaska Anchorage 25, Seattle Pacific 48, Western Washington 64, Northwest Nazarene 114, Western Oregon 146, Montana State Billings 167, Alaska Fairbanks 196, Central Washington 205, Saint Martin's 255. All-Conference (6,000 Meters) - 1. Jessica Pixler, SPU, 21:03; 2. Sarah Porter, WWU, 21:13; 3. Miriam Kipngeno, UAA, 22:02; 4. Shoshana Keegan, UAA, 22:06; 5. Ruth Keino, UAA, 22:12; 6. Hallidie Wilt, UAA, 22:16; 7. Laura Carr, UAA, 22:18; 8. Jane Larson, SPU, 22:20; 9. Lauren Breihof, WWU, 22:37; 10. Jaclyn Puga, NNU, 22:48.

Men's Team Scores - Western Washington 33, Alaska Anchorage 70, Western Oregon 74, Northwest Nazarene 99, Seattle Pacific 138, Central Washington 167, Saint Martin's 190, Alaska Fairbanks 219, Montana State Billings 257. All-Conference (8,000 Meters) - 1. Marko Cheseto, UAA, 24:50; 2. Bennett Grimes, WWU, 25:05; 3. Jordan Welling, WWU, 25:08; 4. Alfred Kangogo, UAA, 25:12; 5. Micah Chelimo, UAA, 25:13; 6. Anthony Tomsich, WWU, 25:14; 7. Chris Reed, WOU, 25:26; 8. Kyle Van Santen, SMU, 25:28; 9. Blake Medhaug, WWU, 25:32; 10. Barak Watson, NNU, 25:35.

October 17

Crusaders Win Dual With Eastern Oregon

Jaclyn Puga and Barak Watson each posted individual victories as Northwest Nazarene defeated Eastern Oregon in a dual meet Saturday morning in LaGrande.

The Crusader women's team defeated the Mountaineers 23-32 as Puga finished the 3,000-meter course in a time of 10:55, while the men's team won 24-33 as Watson and Matt Stark finished 1-2 over the 5,000-meter distance with times of 15:40 and 15:41.

"While the course was relatively flat, the runners had to battle 25-30 mph winds the entire time," NNU assistant coach Jake Perry said.

In the only other action in the conference Saturday, Central Washington had three athletes competing in the University of Puget Sound Invitational. Zach Armstrong placed 63rd for the CWU men in a time of 31:05.47, while Cindy Glenn was 77th for the women in a time of 27:42.32.

Eastern Oregon Blue & Gold Open (Oct. 17 at LaGrande): Men - Northwest Nazarene 24, Eastern Oregon 33. Individuals (5,000 Meters) - 1. Barak Watson, NNU, 15:40; 2. Matt Stark, NNU, 15:41; 5. Kyle Gray, NNU, 16:04; 9. Benard Ngeno, NNU, 16:17. Women - Northwest Nazarene 23, Eastern Oregon 32. Individual (3,000 Meters) - 1. Jaclyn Puga, NNU, 10:55.35; 4. Jordan Powell, NNU, 11:23.26; 5. Michelle Phillips, NNU, 11:32.37; 9. Christine Harwood, NNU, 11:53.94; 10. Ashley Rehdahl, NNU, 12:07.65.

Puget Sound Open (Oct. 17 at Tacoma): Men - Whitworth 38, Linfield 46, Whitman 83, Lewis & Clark 94, Puget Sound 126, Pacific Lutheran 135, Highline CC 196, Central Washington inc. Individuals (8,000 Meters) - 1. Shawn Fisher, Linf, 25:57.92; 63. Zach Armstrong, CWU, 31:05.47. Women - Whitworth 36, Whitman 52, Lewis & Clark 78, Linfield 85, Pacific Lutheran 131, Puget Sound 149, Highline 222. Individuals (6,000 Meters) - 1. Marci Klimek, Linf, 22:23.45; 77. Cindy Glenn, CWU, 27:42.32; 81. Jessica Hirschkorn, CWU, 28:02.69.

October 10

Welling, Porter First In WWU Invite

Western Washington's Jordan Welling and Sarah Porter were the individual winners in the 36th annual WWU Cross Country Invitational Saturday at Lake Padden.

Welling led a 1-2-3 finish for the Vikings as Western Washington dominated the men's race.

Welling posted a 10,000 meter time of 31:41, nine seconds ahead of Grimes and 18 ahead of Tomsich. WWU's Blake Medhaug was sixth in a time of 32:22.

Saint Martin's sophomore Kyle Van Santen also had a Top 10 finish, placing ninth in a time of 32:32.

In the women's race, Porter raced away from the field covering the 6,000 meter layout in a time of 21:10, 48 seconds ahead of the nearest competitor.

Western Washington finished second with 39 points as Club Northwest placed five runners in the Top 10 in posting a team score of 32.

Courtney Olsen placed third in 22:03 and Lauren Briehof who was sixth in 22:11 for WWU.

Seattle Pacific, running without Jessica Pixler and Jane Larson who competed Friday in San Francisco, got an eighth place finish from Natty Plunkett in a time of 22:29.

Western Washington Invitational (Oct. 10 at Bellingham): Men - Western Washington 23, Club Northwest 63, British Columbia 84, Seattle Running 96, Central Washington 140, St. Martin's 160, Seattle Pacific 170. Individuals (8,000 Meters) - 1. Jordan Welling, WWU, 31:41; 2. Bennett Grimes, WWU, 31:50; 3. Anthony Tomsich, WWU, 31:59; 6. Blake Medhaug, WWU, 32:22; 9. Kyle Van Santen, SMU, 32:32. Women – Club Northwest 32, Western Washington 39, British Columbia 88, Seattle Pacific 90, Central Washington 141, St. Martin's 164. Individuals (6,000 Meters) - 1 . Sarah Porter, WWU, 21:10; 3. Courtney Olsen, WWU, 22:03; 6. Lauren Briehof, WWU, 22:11 8. Natty Plunkett, SPU, 22:29.

MSUB Finishes Second In Own Invitational

Lisa Minnehan finished fourth in a time of 18:50 to lead Montana State Billings to a second-place team finish Saturday in the Montana State Billings Invitational cross country meet.

The Yellowjackets placed three runners in the Top 10 as Mary Owen and Leah Thompson covered the 5,000 meter course in times of 19:19 and 19:20, respectively.

MSUB's men were led by Daniel Lombardi, who finished 14th in an 8,000 meter time of 26:38.

MSU Billings Invitational (Oct. 10 at Billings): Men - Black Hills State 27, Great Falls 71, Dickinson State 96, MSU Billings 118, South Dakota Tech 120, Rocky Mountain 133, Carroll 146, FVCC 245. Individuals (8,000 Meters) - 1. Mark Mazza, BHSU, 25:27; 14. Daniel Lombardi, MSUB, 26:38; 19, Mark Bolt, MSUB, 26:49. Women – Black Hills State 34, MSU Billings 47, Great Falls 98, Carroll 99, Dickinson State 113, Rocky Mountain 130, South Dakota Tech 180, FVCC 240. Individuals (5,000 Meters) - 1 . Wendy O'Lexey, BHSU, 18:02; 4. Lisa Minnehan, MSUB, 18:50; 9. Mary Owen, MSUB, 19:19; 10. Leah Thompson, MSUB, 19:20; 13. Ler Mykel, MSUB, 19:32; 15. Sarah Jackson, MSUB, 19:43.

October 9

Alaska Anchorage Sweeps Titles at San Francisco State

Marko Cheseto and Ruth Keino led Alaska Anchorage to the men's and women's team titles Friday at the San Francisco State Cross Country Invitational in Golden Gate Park.

Golden Gate Park will be the site of the NCAA Division II West Regional championships next month.

Cheseto and Jessica Pixler of Seattle Pacific won individual titles finishing ahead of their own teammates. Cheseto covered the men's 8,000 meter course in a time of 24:52.6, while UAA's Micah Chelimo placed second in 24:55.0.

Pixler covered the women's 6,000 meter layout in 20:36.4, a full minute ahead of the field including second-place Jane Larson of SPU who was timed in 21:37.9.

Keino finished third in 21:38.7 leading a pack of Seawolf runners who finished third through seventh to post a perfect team score of 15. The five UAA runners were separated by only 37 1/2 seconds.

Seattle Pacific did not enter a complete team thus Pixler and Larson did not figure in the team scoring.

Chico State, the region's top-ranked team, finished second despite giving its top runners the week off.

Western Oregon finished tied for fourth with San Jose State in the 16-team field as sophomore Janelle Everetts placed 16th in a time of 23:02.4.

In the men's race, Alaska Anchorage placed three runners in the Top 10 - Alfredo Kangogo was eighth in 25:44.3 - in edging Western Oregon 52-56 for the team title.

Humboldt State finished third with 58 points and regionally top-ranked Chico State, which rested most of its best runners, was fourth with 108.

WOU's Chris Reed placed third in a time of 25:17.1 and freshman Connor Kasler placed 14th in a time of 26:02.2 as the Wolves had four runners in the Top 20.

Seattle Pacific's Chad Meis joined the three UAA runners and Reed in the Top 10 placing ninth in a time of 25:48.2.

“I think we had a terrific day overall,” UAA coach Michael Friess said about his squad's sweep of the team titles. “The women ran very strong. I think we’re in good position to challenge for a GNAC championship in two weeks.

"On the men’s side, it was a much closer race, but I feel like we’re getting stronger and they are gaining confidence as we approach the stretch run.”

San Francisco State Invitational (Oct. 9 at San Francisco): Men- Alaska Anchorage 52, Western Oregon 56,Humboldt State 58, Chico State 108, Santa Clara 131. Individuals (8,000 meters )- 1. Marko Cheseto, UAA, 24:52.6; 2. Micah Chelimo, UAA, 24:55.0; 3. Chris Reed, WOU, 25:17.1; 8. Alfred Kangogo, UAA, 25:44.3; 9. Chad Meis, SPU, 25:48.2. Women - Alaska Anchorage 15, Chico State 81, Santa Clara 116, San Jose State 148, Western Oregon 148. Individuals (6,000 Meters)- 1 . Jessica Pixler, SPU, 20:36.4; 2. Jane Larson, SPU, 21:37.9; 3. Ruth Keino, UAA, 21:38.7; 4.Hallidie Wilt, UAA, 21:57.1; 5. Shoshana Keegan, UAA, 22:02.8; 6.Laura Carr, UAA, 22:09.2; 7.Miriam Kipng'eno, UAA, 22:15.2.

October 3

Watson, Puga In Top 10 at Willamette Bowles Classic in Salem

Northwest Nazarene's Barak Watson and Jaclyn Puga placed in the Top 10 Saturday at the Charles Bowles Classic cross country meet in Salem, Ore.

Watson finished eighth overall on the men's 8,000 meter course in a time of 24:32.05 to lead the Crusaders to a ninth place team finish. It's the four straight race that Barak has finished in the Top 10. His time is the second fastest 8,000 meter time in school history.

Also helping the Crusaders was sophomore Matt Stark who placed 28th in a time of 25:00.09.

The top finisher for Seattle Pacific was senior Chad Meis who placed 21st in a time of 24:54.89. Seattle Pacific finished 13th in the team race.

On the women's side, Puga finished 10th in 18:05.99 on the 5,000 meter course. Puga was followed closely by teammates Jordan Powell and Michelle Phillips who finished 22nd and 28th overall.

Willamette Chuck Bowels Invitational (Oct. 3 at Salem): Men - Chico State 46, Boise State 51, Willamette 113, Idaho 164, Nebraska Wesleyan 169, San Jose State 232, Whitworth 234, Portland State 243, Northwest Nazarene 250, St. John's (Minn.) 257, Seattle Pacific 370. Individuals (8,000 meters) - 1. Michael Wickman, CSU, 24:08.06; 8. Barak Watson, NNU, 24:32.05; 21. Chad Meis, SPU, 25:54.89; 26. Matt Stark, NNU, 25:0.09. Women - Chico State 43, Augustana (SD) 114, Idaho 116, Whitworth 142, St. Thomas (Minn.) 171, Whitman 177, Boise State 183, Nebraska Wesleyan 206, Northwest Nazarene 232. Individuals (5,000 Meters) - 1. Teegan Schoch, UI, 17:26.92; 10. Jaclyn Puga, NNU, 18:05.99; 22. Jordan Powell, NNU, 18:18.70; 28. Michelle Phillips, NNU, 18:23.49.

Minnehan leads MSUB at Rocky Mountain Shootout

Lisa Minnehan led Montana State Billings with a 41st place finish on the unorthodox 5.8 kilometer course in a time of 23:42 at the University of Colorado Rocky Mountain Shootout Saturday.

MSUB finished fourth in the non-division 1 race, scoring 110 points.

In the men's race, Daniel Lombardi led his team for the fourth straight week placing 72nd overall on the 8,000 meter course in a time of 28:28. MSUB finished eighth in the team race with 196 points.

Colorado Rocky Mountain Shootout (Oct. 3 at Boulder): Men - Garden City CC 34, Metro State 37, Black Hills State 67, Gillette 148, South Dakota School of Mines 151, Rocky Mountain 173, Colorado Christian 185, Montana State – Billings 196. Individuals (8,000 Meters) - 1. Kenyon Neuman, UC, 24:51; 72. Daniel Lombardi, MSUB, 28:28. Women - Mesa State 33, Metro State 62, Black Hills State 79, Montana State – Billings 110. Individuals (5,800 Meters) - 1. Jennifer Barringer, UC, 19:25; 41. Lisa Minnehan, MSUB, 23:42; 67. Mykel Ler, MSUB, 24:31; 68. Leah Thompson, MSUB, 24:31.

SPU's Carrick 18th in Emerald City Invitational

Freshman Krysta Carrick covered the six-kilometer course at Lower Woodland Park in 25:56 finishing 18th overall and leading Seattle Pacific to a third-place finish in the Emerald City Invitational.

The Falcons, competing with their younger runners while the veterans had a day off following last week's Stanford Invitational, totaled 85 points.

The University of Washington, also competing with some of its non-varsity athletes, won with a perfect score of 15, and Seattle University was second with 47.

In the men's race, Gavin Brand was SPU's top runner, placing 22nd in a time of 28:58.

Emerald City Invitational (Oct. 3 at Lower Woodland Park): Men - Seattle University 25, Seattle Running Club 36. Individuals (8,000 Meters) -- 1. Rob Webster, UW, 25:59; 22. Gavin Brand, SPU, 28:58; 27. Daniel Hamilton, SPU, 30:34; 30. Nathan Seely, SPU, 31:30. Women - Washington 15, Seattle 47, Seattle Pacific 85 Eastside Runners 97. Individuals (6,000 Meters) - 1. Mo Huber, UW, 23:03; 18. Krysta Carrick, SPU, 25:56; 23. Laura Moser, SPU, 26:47; 26, Lauren Wood, SPU, 27:01; 27. Kayla Wikins, SPU, 27:18; 28. Margaret Hanscom, SPU, 27:32.

September 26

Pixler Finishes Second at Stanford

Seattle Pacific's Jessica Pixler placed second in the Stanford Invitational Saturday, covering the 6,000 meter layout in 20:21.

Pixler finished just one second behind Tara Erdmann, who was competing unattached.

Erdmann placed 78th last year in the NCAA Division I national meet competing for Loyola Marymount.

SPU also got a 35th place finish from Jane Larson in a time of 21:57 and placed 12th in the team standings.

Stanford Invitational (Sept. 26 at Stanford): Women – Stanford 24, California 100, Loyola Marymount 143, UC Davis 145, Chico State 187, UC Santa Barbara 196, Cal Poly 201, Long Beach 201, UTSA 269, Sacramento State 282, Seattle Pacific 334. Individuals (6,000 meters) - 1. Tara Erdmann, unat., 20:20; 2. Jessica Pixler, SPU, 20:21; 35. Jane Larson, SPU, 21:57; 86. Lisa Anderberg, SPU, 23:04; 131. Mary Williams, SPU, 23:54; 135. Kate Harline, SPU, 23:58.

Watson, Puga In Top 10 at Bob Firman

Northwest Nazarene's Barak Watson and Jaclyn Puga place in the Top 10 Saturday at the Bob Firman Invitational in Boise, Idaho.

Watson finished second on the men's 8,000 meter course in a time of 25:37.23 to lead the Crusaders to a fourth-place team finish. Four other NNU runners, led by Matt Start who was 27th in 26:49.35, were separated by just 14 seconds.

In the women's race, Puga finished 10th in 18:31.57 and NNU freshman Jordan Powell placed 19th in 18:52.37 as the Crsuaders finished fourth.

Central Washington was lead by Manuel Santos who finished 14th overall in the men's race in a time of 26:00.18. Both CWU teams placed sixth in the team standings.

NNU Bob Firman (Sept. 26 at Boise): Men - Boise State 25 , Idaho State 59, College of Idaho 70, Northwest Nazarene 100 , Central Washington 139. Individuals (8,000 meters)- 1. John Ricardi, ISU, 25:25.16; 2. Barak Watson, NNU, 25:37.23; 14. Manuel Santos, CWU, 26:00.61. Women – Brigham Young 28, Idaho State 44, Boise State 86, Northwest Nazarene 100, Utah 101, Central Washington 171. Individuals (5,000 Meters) - 1. Katy Andrews, BYU, 17:59.34; 10. Jaclyn Puga, NNU, 18:31.57; 19. Jordan Powell, NNU, 18:52.37.

Saint Martin's Second In Evergreen Invitational

Kyle Van Santen finished fourth to lead Saint Martin's men to a second-place team finish Saturday in the Pete Steilberg Geoduck Cross Country Classic, hosted by Evergreen State.

Van Santen had a 8,000 meter time of 25:57.07. SMU's Spencer Hunt also placed in the Top 10 finishing ninth in 27:02.18.

SMU also placed two runners in the Top 10 in finishing second in the women's race. Annie Laweryson was eighth in 20:06.30. Ashley Llapitan placed 10th in a time of 20:12.02.

Simon Fraser swept the individual and team titles. Kevin Friesen won the men's race in a time of 25:42.54. Jessica Smith won the women's race in a time of 18:20.43.

TESC Pete Steilberg Invitational (Sept. 26 at Olympia): Men – Simon Fraser 21, Saint Martin's 49, Evergreen State 85, Seattle Pacific 87. Individuals (8,000 Meters) – 1. Kevin Friesen, SFU, 25:42.54; 4. Kyle Van Santen, SMU, 25:57.07; 9. Spencer Hunt, SMU, 27:02.18; 13. Noah Caffrey, SMU, 27:15.91; 14. Nick Harvey, SMU, 27:21.20; 15. Nate Sleight, SPU, 27:29.61. Women – Simon Fraser 15, Saint Martin's 52, Seattle Pacific 89, Evergreen State 89. Individuals (5,000 Meters) – 1. Jessica Smith, SFU, 18:20.43; 8. Annie Laweryson, SMU, 20:06.30; 10. Ashley Llapitan, SMU, 20:12.02; 11. Helen Camden, SMU, 20:13.00; 15. Krinda Carlson, SMU, 20:48.40.

September 25

MSU Billings Second at Dickinson State

Lisa Minnehan placed third in the women's division and Daniel Lombardi was fifth in the men's race to lead Montana State Billings to a pair of second-place finishes Friday in the Dickinson State Invitational cross country meet.

Minnehan covered the 5,000 meter course in a time of 19:24, 19 seconds back of winner Jennifer Agnew of the University of Mary. Mary had five of the top six finishers and outscored MSUB 18-51 to win the team title.

Lombardi had an 8,000 meter time of 27:34. Sal Bautista, competing unattached, placed first in 25:56. Host Dickinson finished first with 22 team points. Yellowjackets finished second with 47 points, eight ahead of Mary.

Dickinson State Invitational (Sept. 25 at Dickinson): Men - Dickinson State 22, Montana State – Billings 47, University of Mary 55. Individuals (8,000 Meters)- 1. Sal Bautista, unat., 25:56; 6. Daniel Lombardi, MSUB, 28:00; 9. Tyson Vanderby, MSUB, 28:13; 10. Ryan Blombeck, MSUB, 28:13; 14. Taylor Canfield, MSUB, 28:39; 15. Daniel Hutchinson, MSUB, 28:43; 16. John Buttelman, MSUB, 28:50; 17. Tucker Shuler, MSUB, 29:43; 22. Kelley Miller, MSUB, 32:30. Women - Mary 18, MSU Billings 51, Dickinson State 54. Individuals (5,000 Meters) - 1. Jennifer Agnew, Mary, 19:05; 3. Lisa Minnehan, MSUB, 19:24; 10. Mary Owen, MSUB, 20:26; 11. Mykel Ler, MSUB, 20:30; 13. Kristen Yeley, MSUB, 20:31; 14. Leah Thompson, MSUB, 20:36; 16. Katie Thiel, MSUB, 21:06; 17. Sarah Jackson, MSUB, 21:09; 19. Malori Woodford, MSUB, 21:47; 23. Natasha Fredrickson, MSUB, 24:19.

September 19

Chelimo Second, Pixler Third At UW Sundodger

Freshman Micah Chelimo of Alaska Anchorage finished second and Jessica Pixler of Seattle Pacific placed third in the men's and women's invitational divisions at the 18th annual UW Sundodger cross country meet Saturday morning at West Seattle's Lincoln Park. (Men's Open / Men's Invitational / Women's Open / Women's Invitational).

Chelimo was clocked in a time of 24:03.33, less than 10 seconds behind winner Kelly Spady of University of Washington, who had an 8,000 meter time of 23:54.94.

Pixler, the two-time defending NCAA Division II national champion, had a time of 20:26.07 for her 6-kilometer (3.72-mile) run on a soggy course under drippy skies.

The only two to finish ahead of the two-time defending NCAA Division II titlist were Kendra Schaaf and Mel Lawrence, both from the reigning Division I champion University of Washington.

Schaaf was clocked in 19:49.12 and Lawrence was timed in 20:06.18. Western Washington's Sarah Porter placed fourth in a time of 20:37.13.

In the men's invitational, Jordan Welling of Western Washington led his team to a second-place finish placing 12th in a time of 24:38.20. Finishing one spot behind him was teammate Bennett Grimes in 24:39.35. WWU had a strong group finish with all of their top five finishing within a minute of each other.

Chelimo and teammate Marko Cheseto who placed fifth in a time of 24:14.92 led Alaska Anchorage to a fourth-place team finish with a score of 98 points.

In the women's invitational, Western Washington was the top GNAC team finish placing third with 83 points. In addition to Porter's fourth, the Vikings' Lauren Breihof placed 15th in 21:51.66.

Seattle Pacific got a 12th from Jane Larson in a time of 21:29.26 in addition to Pixler's third in finishing fifth with 111 points.

In the open division, Northwest Nazarene freshman Barak Watson had a very strong showing by placing second overall in 24:52.85. Behind Barak's high finish, NNU finished fourth in the team scoring with 145 points.

Saint Martin's was lead by sophomore Kyle Van Santen who finished in ninth place in 25:05.96. SMU finished ninth with 227 points.

Senior Chad Meis was the top finisher for Seattle Pacific in 10th place with a time of 25:10.96.

In the open division for women, Alaska Anchorage was lead by a strong upfront race and had five women finish in the Top 10. UAA's top runner was Ruth Keino, who placed second overall in 21:41.16. She was followed close behind by Hallidie Wilt who finished third in a time of 21:48.32.

Also finishing in the Top 10 for UAA was Laura Carr (5th, 21:58.11), Shoshana Keegan (9th, 22:05.63) and Miriam Kipng'eno (10th, 22:06.09).

Northwest Nazarene placed fifth in the open race and was led by Jaclyn Puga who placed 11th in a time of 22:12.85.

UW Sundodger Invite (Sept. 19 at Seattle): Men – Washington 27, Western Washington 84, Eastern Washington 95, Alaska Anchorage 98, Idaho 135, East County 144, Seattle University 157, Portland State 178. Individuals (8,000 meters) - 1. Kelly Spady, UW, 23:54.94; 2. Micah Chelimo, UAA, 24:03.33; 5. Marko Cheseto, UAA, 24:14.92; 12. Jordan Welling, WWU, 24:38.20; 13. Bennett Grimes, WWU, 24:39.78; 22. Paul Rottich, UAA, 25:08.89. Women - Washington 21, Oregon State 70, Western Washington 83, Idaho 93, Seattle Pacific 111, Portland State 183, Seattle University 192, Eastern Washington 242. Individuals (6,000 meters) - 1. Kendra Schaaf, UW, 19:49.12; 3. Jessica Pixler, SPU, 20:26.07; 4. Sarah Porter, WWU, 20:37.13; 12. Jane Larson, SPU, 21:29.26; 15. Lauren Breihof, WWU, 21:51.66; 24. Courtney Olsen, WWU, 22:29.76.

UW Sundodger Open (Sept. 19 at Seattle): Men – British Columbia 89, Academy of Art 119, Simon Fraser 139, Northwest Nazarene 145, Whitworth 161, Everett CC 180, Seattle Running Club 181, Lewis & Clark 204, St. Martin's 227, Western Washington 239, Seattle Pacific 242, Central Washington 362. Individuals (8,000 Meters) – 1. Amos Maru, AofA, 24:52.34; 2. Barak Watson, NNU, 24:52.85; 9. Kyle Van Santen, SMU, 25:05.96; 10. Chad Meis, SPU, 25:10.96. Women – Alaska Anchorage 22, Simon Fraser 60, Whitworth 127, British Columbia 135, Northwest Nazarene 140, Lewis & Clark 154, Everett CC 199, Occidental 210, Whittier 280, Sonoma St. 281, St. Martin's 389, Central Washington 395, Western Washington 441. Individuals (6,000 Meters) - 1. Natasha Wodak, unat., 21:02.83; 2. Ruth Keino, UAA, 21:41.16; 3. Hallidie Wilt, UAA, 21:48.31; 5. Laura Carr, UAA, 21:58.11; 9. Shoshana Keegan, UAA, 22:05.63; 10. Miriam Kipng'eno, UAA, 22:06.09.

Minnehan, Lombardi Top Finishers at Montana State

Lisa Minnehan placed 43rd in the women's 5,000 meter race in a time of 19:07 and freshman Daniel Lombardi placed 47th in the men's 8,000 meter race in a time of 27:07 to lead Montana State Billings to eighth and ninth place team finishes Saturday in the Montana State Invitational at Bozeman.

MSUB's Leah Thompson also had a Top 50 finish in the women's race which featured five Division I schools, placing 49th in a time of 19:20.

After Lombardi, MSUB had a tight men's group finish as Ryan Blombeck placed 66th in a time of 28:27 and was followed by three other 'Jacket runners within 22 seconds.

Montana State Invitational (Sept. 19 at Bozeman): Men - Utah State 42, Montana State 53, Weber State 70, Montana 76, Utah Valley 104, Great Falls 208, Dickinson State 223, Rocky Mountain 257, MSU – Billings 259. Individuals (8,000 meters) - 1. Patrick Casey, MSU, 24:54; 47. Daniel Lombardi, MSUB, 27:07; 66. Ryan Blombeck, MSUB, 28:27; 69. Travis Hutchinson, MSUB, 28:39; 71. Tyson Vanderby, MSUB, 28:45; 75. Travis Buttelman, MSUB, 28:49. Women - Weber State 36, Utah Valley 50, Montana 64, Utah State 94, Montana State 146, Utah 168, Concordia College 237, MSU – Billings 261. Individuals (5,000 Meters) - 1. Mary Nothum, UV, 17:10; 43. Lisa Minnehan, MSUB, 19:07; 49. Leah Thompson, MSUB, 19:20; 74. Kristen Yeley, MSUB, 20:00; 77. Mykel Ler, MSUB, 20:03; 78. Mary Owen, MSUB, 20:05.

September 18

Western Oregon Sweeps at Willamette

Western Oregon's Amanda Wright and Chris Reed won individual titles Friday in the Willamette Grass Course Invitational in Salem.

Wright finished first with a 5,000 meter time of 19:32.36 to lead five WOU runners into the Top 10.

Tricia Morrison (19:45.85) and Janelle Everetts (19:48.12) finished second and third to lead a 1-2-3 finish for WOU.

Reed won his second consecutive race as he finished in front of 53 male runners on the 7,085-meter course with a time of 22:36.32. Reed, who also won tthe Grass Course title a year ago, now has three career wins, two this fall.

Willamette Grass Course (Sept. 18 at Salem): Women - No Team Scores. Individual (5,000 Meters ) – 1. Amanda Wright, WOU, 19:32.36; 2. Tricia Morrison, WOU, 19:45.85; 3. Janelle Everetts, WOU, 19:48.12; 9. Erica Snawder, WOU, 20:18.42; 10. Megan Everetts, WOU, 20:31.90. Men - No Team Scores. Individual (7085 Meters) - 1. Chris Reed, WOU, 22:36.32; 7. Conner Kasler, WOU, 23:20.32; 10. Brandon Snook, WOU, 23:36.82.

September 12

Vikings Sweep Team Titles at Yakima

Bennett Grimes and Sarah Porter had first-place finishes Saturday to lead Western Washington to the men's and women's team titles in the CWU Apple Ridge Run Invitational near Yakima.

Seattle Pacific finished second in both races. Both WWU's and SPU's coaches gave some of their best runners the week off in preparation for the University of Washington Sundodger Invitational next Saturday in Seattle.

Grimes led a 1-2 Viking finish in the men's 6,000 meter race, finishing first in a time of 19:49. WWU's Blake Medhaug was second in 20:49. WWU placed five athletes in the Top 10 to take the team title with 19 points.

Seattle Pacific placed second with 48 points followed by Central Washington (57) and Alaska Fairbanks (108). Jordan Lance finished ninth in a time of 20:55 to lead SPU, which had a tight group finish with only 33 seconds separating its top five athletes.

Manuel Santos was the top finisher for CWU, placing third in 20:28. Alaska Fairbanks was lead by sophomore Mitch Chandler who finished 15th in a time 21:23.

In the women's race, Porter led the way covering the 4,000 meters in a time of 15:13. WWU had four athletes in the Top 10 and outpointed Seattle Pacific 31-45 for the team title. UAF finished third and CWU was fourth with team scores of 65 and 76.

SPU's Kate Harline and Lisa Anderberg placed second and third, respectively, in a times of 16:15 and 16:23.

Alaska Fairbanks placed two athletes Top 10 including freshman Heather Edic who was fifth in a time of 16:35. Central Washington was led by Stephanie Cooke who finished 10th in a time of 17:04.

CWU Apple Ridge Run Invitational (Sept. 12 at Yakima): Men - Western Washington 19, Seattle Pacific 48, Central Washington 57, Alaska Fairbanks 108, Skagit Valley 145. Individuals (6,000 Meters) - 1. Bennett Grimes, WWU, 19:49; 2. Blake Medhaug, WWU, 20:09; 3. Manuel Santos, CWU, 20:28; 5. Nick Abraham, WWU, 20:47; 6. Yonas Berhe, WWU, 20:48; 9. Jordan Lance, SPU, 20:55; 10. Kyle Johnson, WWU, 21:07. Women - Western Washington 31, Seattle Pacific 45, Alaska Fairbanks 65, Central Washington 76. Individuals (4,000 Meters) - 1. Sarah Porter, WWU, 15:13; 2. Kate Harline, SPU, 16:15; 3. Lisa Anderberg, SPU, 16:23; 4. Emily Wallen, WWU, 16:32; 5. Heather Edic, UAF, 16:35; 6. Kristi Fairbanks, WWU, 16:36; 7. Mary Williams, SPU, 16:44; 8. Jana Benedix, UAF, 16:54; 9. Kenra Hedges, WWU, 16:59; 10. Stephanie Cooke, CWU, 17:04.

Puga, Watson Lead NNU To Third Place Finishes

Northwest Nazarene's Jaclyn Puga and freshman Barak Watson led their respective squads to third-place team finishes Saturday in the Roger Curran Invitational cross country meet at West Park in Nampa.

Puga finished fifth overall in the women's race in a time of 14:44.35 on the four-kilometer course. Also finishing in the Top 10 for the Crusaders was freshman Jordan Powell who placed seventh in a time of 15:06.58.

On the men's side, Watson placed fourth overall in 18:57.36 on the six-kilometer course.

Boise State and College of Idaho won the team titles. The Broncos' Kevin Higgs and Shannon Porter swept the individual titles.

NNU Roger Curren Invitational (Sept. 12): Men - Boise State 18, College of Idaho 51, Northwest Nazarene 89, Eastern Oregon 90, Treasure Valley CC 140, Westminster (Utah) 184. Individuals (6,000 Meters)- 1. Kevin Higgs, BSU, 18:41.23; 4. Barak Watson, NNU, 18:57.36; 17. Luke Hetrick, NNU, 19:45.57; 22. Matt Rankin, NNU, 20:01.29. Women – College of Idaho 46, Boise State 52, Northwest Nazarene 68, Eastern Oregon 70, Westminster (Utah) 134. Individuals (4,000 Meters) - 1. Shannon Porter, BSU, 14:19.20; 5. Jaclyn Puga, NNU, 14:44.35; 7. Jordan Powell, NNU, 15:06.58; 11. Michelle Phillips, NNU, 15:18.23; 24. Ashley Rendahl, NNU, 16:13.38; 28. Christine Harwood, NNU, 16:28.12.

WOU Men Win Lewis and Clark Invitational

Chris Reed finished first in a time of 25:29.8 to lead Western Oregon to the men's team title Saturday in the Lewis & Clark Invitational cross country meet at McIver Park in Estacada, Ore.

WOU freshman Conner Kasler placed eighth in a time of 26:10.1 on the 8,000-meter layout. Four more Wolves placed in the Top 20 as WOU won the team titles with 20 fewer points than second-place Linfield (51-71).

On the women's side, Western Oregon was lead by Tricia Morrison who finished 13th overall in a time of 23:47.3. Amanda Wright finished just two spots behind her in 15th in 23:49.9. Whitman won the team title with 35 points. WOU finished sixth with 127 points.

Lewis & Clark Invitational (Sept. 12 at Estacada): Men - Western Oregon 51, Linfield 71, Concordia (Ore.) 77, Whitman 118, Lewis & Clark 120, Pacific Lutheran 175, Northwest Christian 206, Corban 216, George Fox 220, Bruin Track Club 230, Pacific 276. Individuals (8,000 meters) - 1. Chris Reed, WOU, 25:29.8; 8. Conner Kasler, WOU, 26:10.1; 14. Braxton Jackson, WOU, 26:30.7; 15. Brandon Snook, WOU, 26:38.5; 17. Mike Schmidt, WOU, 26:41.3; 18. Matt McCrary, WOU, 26:41.6. Women - Whitman 35, Lewis & Clark 60, Linfield 88, Northwest Christian 113, Concordia (Ore.) 120, Western Oregon 127, Pacific Lutheran 151, Corban College 238, Bruin Track Club 273, Oregon Tech. 280, George Fox 296. Individuals (6,000 Meters) - 1. Marci Klimek, Linf, 22:17.50; 13. Tricia Morrison, WOU, 23:47.30; 15. Amanda Wright, WOU, 23:49.90.

Minnehan Leads MSUB To Second at Rapid City

Lisa Minnehan and Daniel Lombardi had the best finishes Saturday for Montana State Billings in the South Dakota Mines Invitational cross country meet in Rapid City, S.D.

Minnehan finished third overall in the women's 5,000 meter race in a time of 20:07.07 to lead the Yellowjackets to a second-place team finish. MSUB placed six runners in the Top 20.

Lombardi placed 11th for the MSUB men in a 7,920 meter time of 27:45 Tyson Vamderby was 31st in 28:45.

South Dakota Mines (Sept. 12 at Rapid City): Men - Black Hills State 30, Dickinson State 88, Gillette Community College 89, SD Mines 108, Rocky Mountain 109, MSU Billings 128, Minot State 145. Individuals (7,920 Meters) - 1. Jed Morgan, BHS, 26:25; 11. Daniel Lombardi, MSUB, 27:45; 31. Tyson Vanderby, MSUB, 28:45; 34. Mar Bolt, MSUB, 28:51. Women - Black Hills State 31, MSU Billings 60, Minot State 80, Dickinson State 99, Rocky Mountain 124, Gillette Community College 128, SD Mines 171. Individuals (5,000 meters) - 1. Wendy O' Lexey, BHS, 19:14.29; 3. Lisa Minnehan, MSUB, 20:07.07; 11. Leah Thompson, MSUB, 21:00.48; 13. Mary Owen, MSUB, 21:12.71; 14. Katie Thiel, MSUB, 21:14.61; 20. Kristen Yeley, MSUB, 21:34.27.

September 5

UAA Sweeps Own Invitational

Freshman Micah Chelimo and Ruth Jeptoo led Alaska Anchorage to home dual meet victories over Abilene Christian Saturday.

Chelimo, a native of Kapkoi, Kenya, won the men's 5,000 meter race in a time of 15:18.60. UAA had three of the top four finishers in beating the nationally fourth ranked Abilene Christian squad.

On the women's side, Jeptoo led the way with a time of 18:22.80. UAA had eight of the Top 10 finishers in a 16-47 dominating victory over Abilene Christian.

UAA Invitational (Sept. 5 at Anchorage) Men – Alaska Anchorage 22, Abilene Christian 33. Individuals (5,000 meters) – 1. Micah Chelimo, UAA, 15:18.60; 3. Alfred Kangogo, UAA, 15:47.60; 4. Paul Rottich, UAA, 15:47.60; 7. Thomas Hill, UAA, 16:24.60; 10. Michael Adams, UAA, 16:41.40. Women – Alaska Anchorage 16, Abilene Christian 47. Individuals (5,000 meters - 1. Ruth Jeptoo, UAA, 18:22.80; 2. Hallidie Wilt, UAA, 18:32.80; 3. Miriam Kipngeno, UAA, 19:02.50; 4. Shoshana Keegan, UAA, 19:15.20; 6. Emma Bohman, UAA, 19:37.00; 7. Ariel Rolle, UAA, 19:45.60; 8. Laura Carr, UAA, 10:50.80; 9. Kayla Teslow, UAA, 20:14.00.

Schnurr Wins Hawaii Pacific Invitational

Theresia Schnurr of Alaska Fairbanks won the women's race in the Hawaii Pacific Invitational cross country meet Saturday in Honolulu.

Schnurr covered the 5,000 meter course in a time of 17:58, finishing seven seconds ahead of Jessica Forrester of the University of Hawaii.

The Nanooks placed fourth in the team competition with a score of 86. BYU-Hawaii finished first, edging Humboldt State 49-52 for the team title.

The Nanooks also placed fourth in the men's 8,000 meter race with a score of 95. Humboldt State placed six runners in the top eight and easily outdistanced Hawaii Pacific 21-72 for the team title. Samuel Tilly placed 14th in 26:45 for UAF's top finish.

HPU Invitational (Sept. 5 at Kaaawa): Men- Humboldt State 21, Hawaii Pacific 72, BYU-Hawaii 84, Alaska Fairbanks 95, Hawaii Hilo 104, Chaminade 141. Individuals (8,000 meters)- 1.Brendan McMaster, BYUH, 24:52.00; 14. Samuel Tilly, UAF, 27:04; 16. Ray Sabo, UAF, 27:04; 18. Einar Often, UAF, 27:20; 20. Mitch Chandler, UAF, 27:38. Women - BYU-Hawaii 49, Humboldt State 52, Hawaii 77, Alaska Fairbanks 86, Hawaii Pacific 100, Hawaii Hilo 144, Chaminade 220. Individuals (5,000 meters)- 1. Theresia Schnurr, UAF, 17:58; 15. Aurelia Korthauer, UAF, 19:29; 20 Heather Edic, UAF, 19:54.

Saints Win Team Title in Own Invitational

Kyle Van Santen finished fourth to lead Saint Martin's to the men's team title Saturday in the SMU Invitational in Lacey.

Van Santen posted a time of 26:22 on the 8,000 meter layout. SMU Alum John Riak was the individual winner in a time of 25:28.8.

Also in the Top 10 for SMU were Spencer Hunt (4th), Nick Harvey (5th) and Joseph Patti (6th).

Pacific Lutheran won the women's title, nipping the Saints by two points (39-41). Karen Steen, running unattached, placed first in a time of 23:31.6. SMU freshman Ashley Llapitan placed fifth in a time of 24:51.9.

Saint Martin's Invitational (Sept. 5 at Lacey) Men – Saint Martin's 32, Pacific Lutheran 49, Puget Sound 55, Evergreen State 100.. Individuals (8,000 meters) – 1. John Riak, unat., 25:28.8; 4. Kyle Van Santen, SMU, 26:22.0; 6. Spencer Hunt, SMU, 26:41.4; 7. Nick Harvey, SMU, 27:11.0; 8. Joseph Patti, SMU, 27:25.4. Women – Pacific Lutheran 39, Saint Martin's 41, Puget Sound 53, Evergreen State 98. Individuals (6,000 meters)- 1. Karen Steen, unat., 23:31.60; 5. Ashley Llapitan, SMU, 24:51.90; 8. Krinda Carlson, SMU, 24:56.60.

Vikings Set Collegiate Records in Lake Padden Relays

Western Washington set collegiate course records in winning the men's and women's divisions Saturday at the 31st annual Lake Padden Relays south of Bellingham.

Blake Medhaug, Eric Brill, Bennett Grimes and Anthony Tomsich won the men's relay race in a time of 51:54. Medhaug had the best individual time of 13:11.

On the women's side, the Viking foursome of Sarah Porter, Courtney Olsen, Danielle Slaughter and Lauren Breihof finished first in a time of 1:01.12. Porter's leg was 14:45. The top women's individual times were by Seattle Pacific's Jessica Pixler (13:50) and Jane Larson (14:35), who competed on a co-ed team.

MSUB, Rocky Mountain Split Dual

Montana State Billings defeated Rocky Mountain 23-37 in a women's cross country dual Saturday at Riverfront Park in Billings. The Bears defeated MSUB 24-31 in the men's dual.

On the women's side, Lisa Minnehan led the way for MSUB, completing the 3.1 mile course in 19:22 for a second place finish behind RMC's Amber Watson (18:50).

The men's team was led by Daniel Lombardi who finished in a time of 16:21 for a second place finish behind Cesar Mireles of Rocky with a 16:04.

MSUB-Rocky Mountain Dual (Sept. 5 at Billings) Men- Rocky Mountain 24, Montana State-Billings 31. Individuals (5,000 meters) – 1. Cesar Mireles, RMC, 16:04; 2. Daniel Lombardi, MSUB, 16:12; 5. Tyson Vanderby, MSUB, 16:59; 6. Travis Buttelman, MSUB, 17:06; 8. Mark Bolt, MSUB, 17:09; 10. Travis Hutchinson, MSUB, 17:24. Women – Montana State-Billings 23, Rocky Mountain College 37. Individuals (5,000 meters)- 1. Amber Watson, RMC, 18:50; 2. Lisa Minnehan, MSUB, 19:22; 3. Leah Thompson, MSUB, 20:34; 5. Mary Owen, MSUB, 20:41; 6. Katie Thiel, MSUB, 20:48; 7. Kristen Yeley, MSUB, 20:53; 8. Sarah Jackson, MSUB, 21:09; 10. Mykel Ler, MSUB, 21:16.

September 3

Wolves Open With Meet In Monmouth

Three Western Oregon women finished in the Top 4 in the Summer End Invite on the WOU campus Thursday. The meet was unscored.

Tricia Morrison placed second on the 4400 meter course in a time of 16:15.9. Annan Applebee was third in the same time and Amanda Wright placed fourth in 16:22.9.

Sarah Auer of the University of Portland was the individual winner in a time of 16:07.3.

WOU Summer's End Run (Sept. 3 at Monmouth) Women: No team score. Individual (4300 meters ) – 1. Sarah Auer, Portland, 16:07.3; 2. Tricia Morrison, WOU, 16:15.9; 3. Annan Applebee, WOU, 16:15.9; 4. Amanda Wright, WOU, 16:22.9; 7. Erica Zambon, WOU, 16:46.8.

August 29

Schnurr, Kornfield Propel UAF Past Central Washington

Theresia Schnurr earned her second win in two races leading Alaska Fairbanks to a 16-41 win over Central Washington in the UAF Birch Hill Invitational Saturday.

Schnurr covered the 3,000 meter layout in a time of 11:11.1. UAF's Heather Edic finished third in a time of 11:56.3 at the non-traditional distance. Schnurr also won a 5,000-meter race on Thursday.

UAF had four runners in the top five and six in the Top 10 as they ran past Central Washington. Central was lead by senior Stephanie Cooke, who ended up in sixth place.

On the men's side, Alaska Fairbanks pulled out a one-point victory 28-29) on the three-kilometer course. The two teams tied with 29 points each in Thursday's 5K.

CWU's Manual Santos earned his second win placing first in a time of 9:42. UAF freshman Tyler Kornfield placed second in a time of 9:58.7.

UAF Birch Hill Invitational (Aug. 29 at Fairbanks): Men - Alaska Fairbanks 28, Central Washington 29. Individuals (3,000 Meters) - 1. Manual Santos, CWU, 9:42.0; 2. Tyler Kornfield, UAF, 9:58.7; 3. Matt Nodine, CWU, 10:00.6; 4. Matt Johnson, CWU, 10:01.5;5. Sam Tilly, UAF, 10:03.2 6. Mitch Chandler, UAF, 10:06.4; 7. Ray Sabo, UAF, 10:08.6; 8. Einar Often, UAF, 10:12.8; 10. Wes Hargrove, CWU, 10:22.1. Women - Alaska Fairbanks 16, Central Washington 41. Individuals (3,000 Meters) - 1. Theresia Schnurr, UAF, 11:11.1; 3. Heather Edic, UAF, 11:56.3; 4. Maria Stensland, UAF, 12:03.8; 5. Aurelia Korthauer, UAF, 12:11.5; 6. Stephanie Cooke, CWU, 12:15.4; 8. Rebecca Konieczny, UAF, 12:23.9; 9. Kelsey Kreft, CWU, 12:24.2; 10. Jana Benedix, UAF, 12:28.5.

August 27

UAF, Central Men End In Deadlock

Newcomers Manuel Santos and Matt Nodine finished one-two in the men's 5-kilometer race, helping Central Washington earn a 29-29 draw with Alaska Fairbanks in its season-opening dual race Thursday evening at the West Hills Course on the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus.

The Central women lost to the Nanooks 15-46. Santos, a junior transfer from Clark College, won the men's race in convincing fashion, covering the course in 17:57.7. He was an even 30 seconds faster than Nodine, a sophomore transfer from Whatcom College, who finished with a time of 18:27.7.

In the women's five-kilometer race, UAF had the top six finishers to score to help the Nanooks cruise to the 31-point win over the visiting Wildcats. UAF's Theresia Schnurr was the top finisher in a time of 20:46.1.