Thursday, September 6, 2018

A LIGHT START TO THE SEASON: The first season of the 2018 GNAC cross country season was a rather quiet one with three teams competing at meets close to home.

Western Oregon officially started the season with races at the Linfield Harrier Classic last Friday. The Wolves ran mainly freshmen and sophomores in the meet, which allowed Hunter Hutton to earn GNAC Men’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week honors in his first collegiate meet. He covered the 6,000-meter course in 19:47.

Saint Martin’s ran full rosters at the Puget Sound Invitational on Saturday. Senior Lindsay Dorsey earned the first GNAC Women’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week award after she placed second in the women’s 6,000-meter race, clocking a time of 24:01.

Montana State Billings opened the year at the Hardrocker Cross Country Classic in Rapid City, S.D. The Yellowjackets saw their top athletes finish eighth in both races. Ivan Colmenero was eighth in the men’s 8,000-meter race in 27:45.93 while Nikki Aiken was eighth in the women’s 6,000-meter race in 20:53.89.

SUNSET FOR SUNDODGER?: The traditional opening meet for a number of GNAC squads and one of the largest September draws for collegiate cross country runners, conference teams will be noticeably absent from the meet when it takes place on Saturday at Seattle’s Lincoln Park.

Central Washington, Seattle Pacific and Simon Fraser, who all planned to compete in the meet, were informed in August that the University of Washington, the meet’s host, was limiting the meet’s college races to just Division I schools in 2018. Despite efforts, none of the three schools could find another meet to fill the void.

The Wildcats and Falcons will instead open the year on Sat., Sept. 15, at the CWU Invitational in Ellensburg, Wash. The Clan will open the same day at the USD Invitational in San Diego.

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).

THIS WEEK'S GNAC CROSS COUNTRY ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
MEN
Hunter Hutton, Western Oregon
Freshman • Bandon, Ore.

Hutton opened his collegiate career by winning the men’s race at the Linfield Harrier Classic on Friday. He covered the 3.7-mile course in 19:47, averaging 5:18 per mile, winning by 16 seconds over teammate Simon Walsh.

Also Nominated: Andrew Oslin (Saint Martin’s).

WOMEN
Lindsey Dorney, Saint Martin’s
Senior • Bothell, Wash.

Dorney opened her senior season by taking second place at the Puget Sound Invitational. She covered the 6,000-meter course in a time of 24:01, averaging 6:27 per mile.

Also Nominated: Kayin Cantu (Western Oregon).

AROUND THE GNAC
ALASKA
LAST WEEK: No Meet
THIS WEEK: Sept. 8 at Skinny Raven Classic

• Alaska will open the 2018 season this weekend, taking part in a dual meet with Alaska Anchorage at the Skinny Raven Classic in Anchorage.

• The Nanooks’ women are picked to finish eighth in the GNAC Championships this season after finishing seventh last year. Senior Alex Bergholtz is the top returning finish. She placed 33rd at last year’s conference meet.

• The Alaska men are picked to finish 10th after finishing ninth at conference last year. Junior Lukash Platil, the team’s top returning finish from the 2017 GNAC Championships, placed 37th.

ALASKA ANCHORAGE
LAST WEEK: No Meet
THIS WEEK: Sept. 8 at Skinny Raven Classic

• Alaska Anchorage will open the 2018 season at home, hosting Alaska in a dual meet as part of the Skinny Raven Classic at Russian Jack Park.

• 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’s women are picked by coaches to win a fourth consecutive GNAC title. The Seawolves won last year with a score of 28 points and return four All-GNAC harriers in seniors Zennah Jepchumba, Danielle McCormick and Kimberly Coscia and junior Emmah Chelimo.

• The Seawolves’ men are picked to finish second again in 2018 after placing second at the 2017 GNAC Championships to Western Oregon. The team is led by sophomore Felix Kemboi, last year’s GNAC Freshman of the Year, and GNAC Newcomer of the Year Jorge Sanchez.

CENTRAL WASHINGTON
LAST WEEK: No Meet
THIS WEEK: No Meet

• 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: No Meet
THIS WEEK: Sept. 7 at Ash Creek Invitational

• The Cavaliers open the 2018 season with a preview of the GNAC Championships course, participating in the Ash Creek Invitational in Monmouth, Ore.

• Both the Concordia men and women are picked to move up to ninth at the GNAC Championships. The women placed ninth at last year’s conference meet. The team’s top returning finisher is senior Nicole Pedersen, who placed 53rd.

• Concordia’s men placed 10th in the conference meet last year. Senior Jose Macias is the program’s top returning placer, finishing 47th in 2017.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
LAST WEEK: Sept. 1 at Hardrocker Cross Country Classic
Men - 3rd of 5, 71 pts. Women - 3rd of 3, 81 pts.
THIS WEEK: No Meet

• Montana State Billings was one of three GNAC teams to compete on the opening weekend at the Hardrocker Classic.

• 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 compete next on Sat., Sept. 22, at the Gage McSpadden Memorial Invitational in Spearfish, S.D.

• The MSUB men are picked to finish seventh at the GNAC Championships this season. Senior Tyus Mendoza is the team’s top returning placer, capturing a 22nd-place finish in 2017.

• The Yellowjackets’ women are picked to finish 10th and move up from 11th place in 2017. Aiken is the team’s only returning athlete. She finished 34th in last year’s conference meet.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
LAST WEEK: No Meet
THIS WEEK: Sept. 8 at College of Southern Idaho Invite

• Northwest Nazarene will open the 2018 season in Twin Falls, Idaho, participating in the College of Southern Idaho Invite.

• The Nighthawks begin the season under the tutelage of former NNU assistant Ben Gall. After six seasons leading the teams at Cal Baptist, Gall is leading the team after the resignation of longtime head coach John Spatz in August.

• Both the NNU men and women are picked to place sixth at the conference meet this season. The men placed fifth last year and will be led by junior Godfrey Kemboi, who placed 16th at the 2017 GNAC Championships.

• The Nighthawks’ women finished eighth at the 2017 championships. Senior Sierra Manzer is the top returning placer after finsihing 14th last year.

SAINT MARTIN’S
LAST WEEK: Sept. 1 at Puget Sound Invitational
Men - 3rd of 5, 49 pts. Women - 3rd of 3, 60 pts.
THIS WEEK: No Meet

• One of three GNAC teams to run on the opening weekend, Saint Martin’s placed third in both the men’s and women’s races at the Puget Sound Invitational.

• Senior Lindsey Dorney was named the first GNAC Women’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week for 2018 after placing 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.

• Both the Saint Martin’s men’s and women’s teams are both picked to finish 11th this season. The SMU women placed 10th last year with Dorney, the team’s top returning finisher, placed 67th. The SMU men placed 11th in 2017. Sophomore Miguel DeLaMalena is the top returning finisher, placing 78th.

SEATTLE PACIFIC
LAST WEEK: No Meet
THIS WEEK: No Meet

• Seattle Pacific was scheduled to open the season on Saturday at the Sundodger Invitational, but this year’s meet is being limited to Division I competition. With the cancellation, the Falcons will open on Sat., Sept. 15, 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: No Meet

• Simon Fraser was scheduled to compete at the Sundodger Invitational, but this year’s meet is being limited to Division I competition. The Clan will now open on Sat., Sept. 15, 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: Aug. 31 at Linfield Harrier Classic
Men - 2nd of 3, 41 pts. Women - 2nd of 4, 51 pts.
THIS WEEK: Sept. 7 at Ash Creek Invitational

• Western Oregon opened the 2018 season by running a select number of athletes at the Linfield Harrier Classic in McMinnville, Ore.

• Freshman Hunter Hutton was named the GNAC Men’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week after he won the meet in his first collegiate race. Hutton covered the 6,000-meter course in 19:47, 16 seconds ahead of fellow freshman teammate Simon Walsh. Walsh ran 20:03.

• Freshman Kailyn Cantu led the Wolves’ women in her first collegiate race, placing seventh as she covered the 4,000-meter course in 15:46.5. Sophomore Shayla Solomon finished 10th in 16:07.3.

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

• Western Oregon is home on Friday, hosting the Ash Creek Invitational on the same course that will host the GNAC Championships.

• Western Oregon has been picked by conference coaches to repeat as men’s champion. The Wolves won in 2017 with 51 points, ending Alaska Anchorage’s eight-year reign as champ. The team is led by senior Dustin Nading, who placed eighth at the 2017 GNAC Championships and was named the Google Cloud/CoSIDA Division II Cross Country/Track and Field Academic All-American of the Year.

• Western Oregon’s women are picked to finish seventh after placing sixth in last year’s conference meet. Junior Cassie McKinney is the team’s top returning placer, finishing 57th in 2017.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
LAST WEEK: No Meet
THIS WEEK: No Meet

• Western Washington will open the 2018 season on Sat., Sept. 15, 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.