Saturday, November 19, 2011
Alaska Anchorage had a pair of Top 10 national team finishes and Western Washington, Western Oregon and Alaska Fairbanks all improved on their national rankings in the 2011 NCAA Division II national cross country championships at the Plantes Ferry Sports Complex in Spokane, Wash. on Nov. 19.
Neely Spence of Shippensburg (Penn.) won the women's title for the second year in a row, leading wire-to-wire in a 6,000-meter time of 20:53.8.
Augustana, S.D., which came in ranked fifth in the latest USTFCCCA national poll, won its first-ever women's title edging top-ranked Western State 75-79.
Western State dethroned three-time defending champion Adams State in the men's race posting a team score of 27 to win its first title since 2005 when it completed a run during which it had won six titles in seven years.
Western State's Ryan Haebe won the men's race in a 10,000 meter time of 30:45.1 to lead the Mountaineers.
Alaska Anchorage finished eighth in the men's team race and sixth in the women's race. The Seawolves came in ranked fifth and fourth, respectively.
Western Washington's men made the biggest leap of any team in the meet from its ranking finishing 10th after being ranked 22nd. The Viking women placed 12th after being ranked 14th.
Western Oregon's men improved six spots from its No. 20 national rank placing 14th, while Alaska Fairbanks women placed 17th after being ranked 19th.
Northwest Nazarene's Barak Watson, competing as an individual, had the best finish by a GNAC athlete placing eighth in the men's race in a time of 31:19.5.
Also earning a Top 10 finish was UAA's Ruth Keino, who ended up ninth in the women's 6K in a time of 21:35.0.
In addition to Watson and Keino, three other Alaska Anchorage athletes earned All-American honors with Top 40 finishes.
In the women's race, Miriam Kipn'geno and Ivy O'Guinn placed 32nd and 33rd, respectively. Micah Chelimo finished 15th in the men's race.
Women's Team Scores – 1. Augustana 75; 2. Western State 79; 3. Grand Valley 104; 4. Adams State 120; 5. Mary 131; 6. Alaska Anchorage 152; 7. Chico State 213; 8. Ferris State 220; 9. Shippensburg 256; 10. Queens, N.C. 372; 12. Western Washington 390; 17. Alaska Fairbanks 436. Individuals - 1. Neely Spence, Shippensburg, 20:53.8; 9. Ruth Keino, UAA, 21:35.0; 32. Miriam Kipn'geno, UAA, 22:11.3; 33. Ivy O'Guinn, UAA, 22:12.2; 41. Shoshana Keegan, UAA, 22:23.8; 62. Crystal Pitney, UAF, 22:58.9; 67. Susan Bick, UAA, 23:06.5; 70. Katelyn Steen, WWU, 23:09.0; 73. Lauren Breihof, WWU, 23:14.9; 75. Bryn Haebe, UAA, 23:16.6; 91. Raphael Sieber, UAF, 23:32.7; 92. Rachael Johnson, WWU, 23:33.8; 97. Theresia Schnurr, UAF, 23:36.8; 98. Susan Tanui, UAA, 23:37.1; 114. Mary Rogers, WWU, 23:52.7; 116. Haley O'Connor, WWU, 23:56.1; 126. Jana Benedix, UAF, 24:05.1; 135. Mikhaila Thornton, WWU, 24:14.1; 138. Heather Edic, UAF, 24:18.8; 145. Susan Brisky, WWU, 24:30.1; 150. Alyson McPhetres, UAF, 24:35.6; 170. Kryston McPhetres, UAF, 25:32.0.
Men's Team Scores – 1. Western State (Colo.) 27, 2. Adams State 69, 3. Grand Valley State 100, 4. Chico State 110, 5. Colorado Mines 134, 6. Augustana 210, 7. Southern Indiana 267, 8. Alaska Anchorage 290, 9. Metro State 318, 10. Western Washington 324, 14. Western Oregon 374. Individuals -– 1. Ryan Haebe, Western State, 30:45.1; 8. Barak Watson, Northwest Nazarene, 31:19.5; 15. Micah Chelimo, UAA, 31:38.4; 49. Connor Kasler, WOU, 32:20.2; 54. Dan Sprinkle, WOU, 32:29.0; 58. Dak Riek, WWU, 32:37.5; 63. Tyler Cannon, WWU, 32:41.6; 69. Nick Abraham, WWU, 32:50.5; 71. Alfred Kangogo, UAA, 32:50.9; 78. Jake Parisien, UAA, 33:04.0; 81. Dylan Anthony, UAA, 33:06.9; 83. Eric Brill, WWU, 33:08.3; 84. Kyle Van Santen, SMU, 33:08.5; 90. Isaac Kangogo, UAA, 33:20.9; 92. Kyle Larson, WOU, 33:22.1; 101. Tanner Boyd, WWU, 33:31.1; 102. Kyle Johnson, WWU, 33:34.4; 106. Lukas Finley, WOU, 33:37.3; 114. Yonatan Yilma, UAA, 33:45.3; 131. Ryan Chapman, WOU, 34:02.1; 136. Michael Adams, UAA, 34:08.0; 143. Drew Larson, WOU, 34:22.7; 148. Dylan Peterson, WWU, 34:30.4; 154. Brady Beagley, WOU, 34:45.5.