Wednesday, October 9, 2019

WILDCATS SWEEP WEEKLY AWARDS: With a pair of solid individual performances at the John Payne/Curtis Invitational, Central Washington accomplished a sweep of the conference’s weekly cross country awards.

Wildcats’ junior Lily Tyrrell earned the Women’s Athlete of the Week award after she finished eighth in the women’s 4,827-meter race. She covered the course in a time of 18:22. Her performance led the CWU women to a second-place finish.

Junior Trevor Allen earned the Men’s Athlete of the Week after he placed 12th in a time of 25:39.6 over 8,000 meters. He was the top non-Division I or open finisher in the race and led the Wildcats to a fourth-place team finish.

CRITICAL COMPETITION IN BELLINGHAM: For seven of the conference’s 11 teams, the final competition prior to the GNAC Championships will take place this weekend in Bellingham.

The Western Washington Invitational takes place on Saturday at the Sudden Valley Golf Course. The competition will be the last of the regular season for Alaska, Alaska Anchorage, Northwest Nazarene, Saint Martin’s, Seattle Pacific, Simon Fraser and Western Washington.
In addition, the race will be the only chance for men’s teams to try their hand at the regional and national championship distance of 10,000 meters prior to those competitions.

Central Washington and Western Oregon, who will compete at the Western Washington Classic, are the only two teams scheduled to race the following weekend.

THAT’S A WRAP FOR MSUB: Montana State Billings has concluded its regular-season schedule after Friday’s GNAC Preview meet was canceled due to inclement weather. The Yellowjackets will next compete at the GNAC Championships, which will take place on the school’s home course of Amend Park.

WINNER’S CIRCLE: The following GNAC athletes have picked up cross country victories during the 2019 season...

MEN
Wesley Kirui, UAA (Blue & Gold Run Fest, Aug. 31, 21:59.68, 7,000m)
Tyler Shea, NNU (Ken Garland Invitational, Sept. 28, 25:43.27, 8,000m)

WOMEN
Nikki Aiken, MSUB (SD Mines Hardrocker Classic, Sept. 7, 21:25.40, 5,000m)
Emmah Chelimo, UAA (Blue & Gold Run Fest, Aug. 31, 18:33.12, 5,000m)
Julia LeMar, NNU (Ken Garland Invitational, Sept. 28, 18:13.48, 5,000m)
Kaylee Mitchell, SPU (PLU Invitational, Sept. 21, 21:04.4, 6,000m; Capital Cross Challenge, Sept. 28, 20:30.2, 6,000m)

CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE: For the first time, the GNAC Championships will head east of the Rocky Mountains to Billings, Montana. The conference meet will be held on Saturday, Oct. 26, at Amend Park and is hosted by Montana State Billings. The course is familiar to GNAC teams, though, having hosted the NCAA West Regional Championships in 2014, 2016 and 2018. Western Oregon’s Ash Creek Preserve, which hosted last year’s GNAC Championships, will be the site of the NCAA West Regional Championships on Saturday, Nov. 9.

THIS WEEK'S GNAC ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
MEN
Trevor Allen, Central Washington
Junior • Lake Stevens, Wash.

Allen posted the top non-Division I or open competitor finish at the John Payne/Curtis Invitational. Allen placed 12th as he covered the 8,000-meter course in 25:39.6. His performance led the Wildcats to a fourth-place team finish.

Also Nominated: Noah Murry (Concordia), Nick Sarysz (Saint Martin’s).

WOMEN
Lily Tyrrell, Central Washington
Junior • Selah, Wash.

Tyrrell was the top Division II finisher at the John Payne/Curtis Invitational on Saturday, placing eighth with a time of 18:22 over 4,827 meters. Her finish time was just three seconds out of fourth place and helped lead the Wildcats to a second-place team finish with 47 points.

Also Nominated: Gabriella Hobson (Concordia), Eliana Hansen (Saint Martin’s).

AROUND THE GNAC
ALASKA
• A sixth-place finish in the men’s cardinal race led Alaska in the Charles Bowles Willamette Invitational on Saturday in Salem, Oregon.

• The Nanooks finished with a total of 212 points, third among Division II teams in the race. Sophomore Lukash Platil led the way, placing 23rd with a time of 25:37.6 over 8,000 meters.

• Sophomore Jacob Walsh also had a top-50 finish, placing 36th in a time of 25:54.4. Sophomore Jack Matherly came in 53rd with a time of 26:25.2.

• The UAF women finished 16th with a score of 416 points. Senior Alexandra Bergholtz topped the finish list as she placed 25th in a time of 18:45.1 over 5,000 meters.

• The meet was the last of the regular season for the Nanooks. Alaska will compete next at the GNAC Championships on Saturday, Oct. 26 in Billings, Montana.

ALASKA ANCHORAGE
• Alaska Anchorage did not compete last week. The Seawolves will wrap up their regular-season schedule this Saturday at the Western Washington Invitational.

• Racing for the first time in nearly a month, Alaska Anchorage placed 14th in the men’s college invitational race and 12th in the women’s college invitational race at the Capital Cross Challenge in Sacramento, California, on Sept. 28.

• Despite the team placing, the Seawolves placed two athletes in the top-five of the men’s race. Junior Wesley Kirui placed second as he covered the 8,000-meter course in 24:07.1. He was just three seconds behind the winner, Jake Ritter of Cal Poly.

• Junior Felix Kemboi was the other top-five placer, taking fourth in a time of 24:12.7.

• Senior Emmah Chelimo was the top women’s placer for the Seawolves, finishing 15th with a time of 21:05.1 over 6,000 meters. Junior Nancy Jeptoo was not far behind, placing 21st in a time of 21:15.7.

• The Alaska Anchorage women dropped one spot to No. 15 in this week’s USTFCCCA Division II Coaches Poll.

CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• Central Washington landed both GNAC Athletes of the Week thanks to top-10 finishes as the Wildcats competed at the John Payne/Curtis Invitational on Saturday in University Place, Washington.

• Junior Lily Tyrrell earned the Women’s Athlete of the Week award after she finished eighth in the women’s 4,827-meter race. She covered the course in a time of 18:22.

• The Wildcats placed all five scoring runners in the top-20 to place second with a score of 47 points. Sophomore Molly Mattson was 10th in a time of 18:25.3. Sophomore Caitlin Gohr finished 14th in 18:48.7, senior Delaney Clem was 16th in 18:50.8 and freshman Kristina Ihlen was 17th in 18:512.6.

• Junior Trevor Allen earned the Men’s Athlete of the Week after he placed 12th in a time of 25:39.6 over 8,000 meters. He was the top non-Division I or open finisher in the race. Four of the five CWU runners placed in the top-30. The group was led by freshman Zack Zundt, who placed 27th in a time of 26:35.2.

• Central Washington will join seven other GNAC squads competing this weekend at the Western Washington Invitational.

CONCORDIA
• Concordia accomplished a 13th-place men’s finish and a 17th place women’s finish at the Charles Bowles Willamette Invitational in Salem, Oregon.

• The Cavaliers’ men finished with a score of 330 points. Senior Noah Murry led the way with a 42nd-place finish as he covered the 8,000 meters in 26:09. Freshman Josh Scheetz was the other top-50 finisher, placing 47th in 26:18.2.

• The Concordia women finished with a total of 418 points. Senior Gabby Hobson was the lone top-50 finisher, placing 36th with a time of 19:02.5 over 5,000 meters.

• The Willamette Invitational ended the regular season for Concordia. The Cavaliers will compete next at the GNAC Championships on Sat., Oct. 26 in Billings, Montana.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• With the cancellation of Friday’s GNAC Preview due to inclement weather, Montana State Billings has concluded its regular season. The Yellowjackets will compete next in the GNAC Championships on Oct. 26 on their home course, Amend Park.

• Montana State Billings tested itself in a big meet setting Saturday, placing 21st in the men’s race and 31st in the women’s race at the Roy Griak Invitational in St. Paul, Minnesota on September 28.

• The men finished with a score of 610 points. Senior Ronald Venema was the top placer for the Yellowjackets, placing 117th in a time of 28:12.8 over 8,000 meters. Freshman Bryant Edgerton was the No. 2 runner, placing 140th in a time of 28:32.

• In the women’s 6,000-meter race, senior Nikki Aiken scored a top-100 finish as she placed 54th in a time of 23:55.5. Sophomore Kailee Stoppel was the No. 2 runner for the Yellowjackets, placing 210th in a time of 26:12.5.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• Northwest Nazarene did not compete last week. The Nighthawks will wrap up the regular season with the Western Washington Invitational on Saturday.

• The Nighthawks emerged with both individual champions and the women’s team winners at the Ken Garland Invitational on Sept. 28 in Lacey, Washington.

• The NNU women placed four runners in the top-five and all five scoring runners in the top-11 to win with a score of 22 points. The Nighthawks were 31 points better than second-place Lane Community College.

• The Nighthawks’ top-three runners all finished within two seconds of each other. Freshman Julia LeMar was the winner in a time of 18:13.48 over 5,000 meters. Senior Bethany Danner was in second in a time of 18:14.68 and junior Annalisa Hamilton placed third in 18:14.94.

• The Northwest Nazarene men placed three runners in the top-10 and placed second with a score of 50 points. The Nighthawks were just four points behind winner Southern Idaho.

• Sophomore Tyler Shea was the individual race winner, covering the 8,000-meter course in a time of 25:43.27. Senior Godfrey Kemboi placed fifth in 26:02.02 while sophomore Treyson Conley was seventh in 26:04.72.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• Saint Martin’s placed fourth in the women’s team competition and fifth in the men’s team race at the John Payne/Curtis Invitational in University Place, Washington.

• The Saints’ women scored 100 points for its fourth-place finish. Freshman Elaina Hansen was the top individual finisher, placing 24th in a time of 19:14.3 over 4,287 meters. Freshman Bethany Forward placed 30th in a time of 19:35.2.

• The men scored 132 points for the fifth-place finish. Freshman Nick Sarysz led the way as he placed 22nd in a time of 26:25.8 over 8,000 meters. Junior Marcus Rice placed 31st in a time of 26:43.1 while sophomore Andrew Oslin was right behind in 32nd place in a time of 26:43.5.

• Saint Martin’s will close out the regular season with competition at the Western Washington Invitational on Saturday.

SEATTLE PACIFIC
• The Seattle Pacific men placed four of its five scoring runners in the top-30 to score a third-place finish at the John Payne/Curtis Invitational in University Place, Washington.

• The Falcons finished with a score of 90 points. Junior Elius Graff was the top finisher as he placed 19th in a time of 26:10.5 over 8,000 meters.

• Junior Colin Boutin was not far behind, placing 20th in a time of 26:14.7. Freshman Jared Putney was 21st in a time of 26:23.7. Sophomore Colby Otero rounded out the top-30 placers as he crossed in 26th with a time of 26:35.1

• The Seattle Pacific women did not compete in the meet. Despite not racing, the Falcons retained their No. 7 position in the USTFCCCA Women’s Division II Top-25 Poll.

• Seattle Pacific will close the regular season by competing at the Western Washington Invitational.

SIMON FRASER
• Simon Fraser did not compete last week. The Clan will conclude the regular season by splitting its squad, sending some athletes to the Lewis Crossover in Romeoville, Illinois and others at the Western Washington Classic.

• Racing on the course that will host the NCAA Division II Championships, Simon Fraser finished 16th in the men’s race and 22nd in the women’s race at the Capital Cross Challenge on Sept. 28.

• The SFU men finished with a total of 446 points in the men’s college invitational race. Senior Carlos Vargas led the way, placing 29th as he covered the 8,000-meter course in 24:45.5. Junior Aaron Ahl was the Clan’s No. 2 runner, finishing 54th in a time of 24:58.4 to cap the top-100 placers for SFU.

• The SFU women finished with 568 points in the women’s college invitational race, third among GNAC teams. Junior Olivia Willett was the No. 1 runner she placed 66th in a time of 21:46.4 over 6,000 meters. Junior Mairin Shields-Brown was the No. 2 runner, placing 84th in a time of 21:58.1.

WESTERN OREGON
• Western Oregon did not race last weekend. The Wolves will end a three-week break from competition this weekend at the Western Washington Invitational.

• The Wolves placed fifth in both the men’s and women’s team races in the program’s second home meet of the season, the Sundowner Invitational on Sept. 20.

• Senior Justin Crosswhite third in the 8,000-meter race. Crosswhite’s season debut yielded a time of 24:57.1 and earned him GNAC Men’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week honors on Sept. 23.

• Senior Hunter Mosman added a 25th-place finish in 25:39.8 while senior Sawyer Heckard placed 31st in a time of 25:54.7.

• For the women, senior Grace Knapp led the way for the Wolves as she placed fifth and covered the 6,000-meter course in a time of 22:51.3. She was the top-placing GNAC runner in the race.

• Senior Cassie McKinney followed as the No. 2 runner, placing 21st in 23:36.1. Sophomore Kaylin Cantu placed 24th as she crossed in a time of 23:43.2.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• Western Washington did not compete last week. The Vikings will close the regular season at home, hosting the Western Washington Invitational on Saturday at Bellingham’s Sudden Valley Golf Course.

• Western Washington went split squad for the only time this season, send athletes to both the Ken Griak Invitational in St. Paul, Minnesota and the Ken Garland Invitational in Lacey, Washington on Sept. 28.

• The Vikings’ top runners performed well in the big Roy Griak meet, placing fourth in both the men’s and women’s maroon races. The women posted a score of 113 points and the men finished with 126 points.

• Senior Talia Dreicer led the Vikings with her 16th place finish at the Griak, covering the 6,000 meters in 23:07.1. Sophomore Rebecca Lehman placed 21st in a time of 23:17.2 while junior Jane Barr was 24th in 23:19.5.

• Junior Eric Hamel and senior James Jasperson finished back-to-back to lead the WWU men at the Griak. Hamel placed 17th in a time of 26:08.7 for 8,000 meters while Jasperson was 18th in 26:10.6. Junior Edward Kiolbasa also had a top-30 finish, placing 25th in 26:27.4.

• The Western Washington women dropped one spot to No. 17 in this week’s USTFCCCA Division II Coaches Poll.