Wednesday, October 2, 2013

PORTLAND, Ore. - Montana State Billings made the biggest move in this week’s USTFCCCA West Regional Division II men’s cross country rankings climbing four spots to fifth.

The Yellowjackets also received votes in the national poll.

MSUB's regional ranking is its highest in school history and matches a No. 5 ranking by the MSUB women in 1997.

The Yellowjackets didn’t compete last week and the move was most likely a “delayed” reaction to its first-place finish (among Division II) schools in the Erik Anderson Invitational on Sept. 23 at Spokane. 

Chico State and Alaska Anchorage held on to their No. 1 and No. 2 rankings in the men's regional poll. Western Washington slipped one spot to No. 7 and Simon Fraser debuted in the poll at No. 9.

In this week’s men's national poll, MSUB was among “others receiving votes” and was 29th overall.  Alaska Anchorage slipped one spot in the national poll falling from ninth to 10th.

In this week’s women's national ranking, idle Alaska Anchorage remained at No. 5, while Simon Fraser slipped one position from sixth to seventh after finishing second in back of Chico State in the non-Division I division of the Stanford Invitational Saturday.

UAA remained No. 1 in the regional poll, while Simon Fraser slipped to third in back of Chico State.   Western Washington and Seattle Pacific held on to their No. 7 and No. 9 regional rankings.

USTFCCCA POLLS: National (Oct. 2): Men – 10. Alaska Anchorage. Women – 5. Alaska Anchorage, 7. Simon Fraser   West Region (Oct. 1): Men - 1. Chico State; 2. Alaska Anchorage; 3. UC San Diego; 4. Cal Poly Pomona; 5. MSU Billings; 6. Cal Baptist; 7. Western Washington; 8. Humboldt State; 9. Simon Fraser; 10. San Francisco State.  Women - 1. Alaska Anchorage; 2. Chico State; 3. Simon Fraser; 4. Cal State Stanislaus; 5. UC San Diego; 6. Humboldt State; 7. Western Washington; 8. Cal Baptist; 9. Seattle Pacific; 10. Cal State San Bernardino. 

Five GNAC Teams To Compete In Willamette Invitational

Alaska Anchorage, which hasn’t competed in a month, will be one of five teams who will compete this Saturday in the Willamette Charles Bowles Invitational in Salem. 

Joining the Seawolves in the meet will be Northwest Nazarene, Saint Martin’s, Seattle Pacific and Western Oregon.  Central Washington and Montana State Billings, meanwhile, will travel to Missoula to compete in the University of Montana Invitational.

Nanooks, Falcons Win Team Titles at Saint Martin's Invitational

Alaska Fairbanks and Seattle Pacific won team titles last Saturday at the Saint Martin’s Invitational. 

The Nanook men finished well-ahead of the host Saints (22-54) to win their first multi-event team title in the 13-year history of the conference.  Its only previous win was a 28-29 victory over Central Washington in a dual at Fairbanks on Aug. 29, 2009.  It also tied CWU 29-29 in a home dual on Aug. 27, 2009.

Seattle Pacific, meanwhile, earned its third women’s title in four events this fall (they previously won two races at Fairbanks) and its fifth in 12 Saint Martin’s invitationals.

GNAC RED LION ATHLETES OF THE WEEK

Male – Joe Berger, Saint Martin’s (Sr., Enumclaw, WA) blew away the field in the Saint Martin’s Invitational Saturday, posting a 22-second victory.  Berger covered the 8,000-meter layout under wet and rainy conditions in a time of 26:30.46.

Women – Hannah Calvert, Seattle Pacific (Fr., Enumclaw, WA) finished fourth overall and first among collegians in the Saint Martin’s Invitational.  Calvert, in just her third year of cross country running (she didn’t turn out until her junior year in high school), finished the 6,000-meter layout in a time of 23:50.02.  That’s the fourth fastest SPU time in the meet since it went to 6,000 meters in 2008.

Honorable Mention – Ross MacDougall, Alaska Fairbanks (So., Astoria, OR) finished second leading the Nanooks to the team title in the Saint Martin’s Invitational.  MacDougall was clocked in a time of 26:52.34.

LAST WEEK'S RESULTS:

Stanford Invitational (Sept. 28 at Palo Alto): Men (Non-Division 1) – Colorado Mines, 38, Chico State 42, San Bernardino Valleyy 111, Southern Oregon 133, Claremont-Mudd 138 (7. Simon Fraser 215). Individuals (8,000 Meters) – 1. Erik Olson, Stanford, 24:25; 76. Oliver Jorgensen, SFU, 26:28; 87. James Young, SFU, 26:32; 113. Austin Trapp, SFU, 26:53; 126. Cameron Proceviat, SFU, 27:09; 141. Ephraim Tadesse, SFU, 27:28. Women (Non-Division 1) – Chico State 51, Simon Fraser 61, The Master’s 98, Southern Oregon 138, Claremont-Mudd 146.  Individuals (6,000 Meters) -  1. Jessica Tonn, Stanford, 21:00; 35. Lindsey Butterworth, SFU, 22:40; 46. Kirsten Allen, SFU, 22:54; 47. Kansas MacKenzie, SFU, 22:55; 61. Rebecca Bassett, SFU, 23:10;  74. Emma Chadsey, SFU, 23:22.

Saint Martin’s Invitational (Sept. 28 at Lacey): Men  - Alaska Fairbanks 22, Saint Martin’s 54, Seattle Pacific 80, Green River 84, Olympic 148.  Individuals (8,000 Meters) – 1. Joe Berger, SMU, 26:30.46; 2. Ross MacDougall, UAF, 26:52.34; 3. Kenneth Brewer, UAF, 26:54.65; 4. Tux Seims, UAF, 26:58.71; 5. Adam Avischious, SPU, 27:06.83. Women – Seattle Pacific 27, Alaska Fairbanks 30, Saint Martin’s 69.  Individuals (6,000 Meters) – 1. Heather Spinney, Spirit Of Oregon, 23:07.32; 4. Hannah Calvert, SPU, 23:50.02; 6. Kali Striker, UAF,  24:06.60; 7. Nichole Bathe, UAF, 24:08.32; 8. Claire Rachwitz, SPU, 24:08.86; 9. Jasmine Johnson, SPU, 24:27.04; 10. Lynelle Decker, SPU, 24:51.37.

For more information check out the GNAC Weekly Report.