Thursday, October 18, 2018

REGULAR SEASON COMES TO CLOSE IN BELLINGHAM: For six of the conference’s cross country teams, the last meet prior to the championship season will take runners to Bellingham, Washington.

The 45th edition of the Western Washington Classic will take place this Saturday. The last regularly-scheduled meet prior to the GNAC Championships, the race will provide the first chance for the six participating GNAC men’s team to compete at the 10,000-meter distance that teams will see at the NCAA West Regional Championships.

In past years, the meet has been a virtual preview of the GNAC Championships course as the WWU Classic was held at East Lake Padden Park. This year, the championship meet has moved to Western Oregon University. Likewise, the WWU Classic has moved from its longtime Lake Padden home to the Sudden Valley Golf Course, located along Lake Whatcom southeast of Bellingham.

While the course will not be a championship course, the competition certainly will be. The men’s race will feature two of the conference’s three nationally-ranked teams in Simon Fraser (No. 8) and Western Washington (No. 19). The women’s race will feature four ranked programs in Alaska Anchorage (No. 8), Simon Fraser (No. 10), Seattle Pacific (No. 12) and Western Washington (No. 14).

BREAKING THE TAPE: A total of 11 GNAC athletes have earned victories in 13 races during the 2018 season...

MEN
• Rowan Doherty (SFU): USD Invite, Sept. 15 (25:23, 8,000 meters).
• Ian Fay (WWU): Ken Garland Invitational, Sept. 22 (26:03.50, 8,000 meters).
• Hunter Hutton (WOU): Linfield Harrier Classic, Aug. 31 (19:47.0, 6,000 meters).
• Godfrey Kemboi (NNU): EOU Invitational, Sept. 21 (26:13.91, 8,000 meters).
• Wesley Kirui (UAA): New Balance Skinny Raven Classic, Sept. 8 (21:07.2, 7,000 meters); UNLV Invitational, Sept. 22 (26:10.0, 8,000 meters).
• Turlan Morlan (CWU): CWU Invitational, Sept. 15 (7,000 meters).
• Dustin Nading (WOU): Ash Creek Invitational, Sept. 7 (21:02.5, 7,000 meters); Warner Pacific CC Classic, Oct. 13 (24:11.5, 8,000 meters).

WOMEN
• Emmah Chelimo (UAA): UNLV Invitational, Sept. 22 (18:54.7, 5,000 meters).
• Bethany Danner (NNU): EOU Invitational, Sept. 21 (19:11.7, 5,000 meters).
• Rebecca Lehman (WWU): Ken Garland Invitational, Sept. 22 (18:15.19, 5,000 meters).
• Kaylee Mitchell (SPU): CWU Invitational, Sept. 15, (18:03, 5,000 meters).

THIS WEEK'S GNAC ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
MEN
Dustin Nading, Western Oregon
Senior • Longview, Wash.

Nading won his second race of the season as he took top honors at the Warner Pacific CC Classic in Portland. Nading covered the 8,000-meter course in 24:11.5, averaging 4:52 per mile, to finish four second ahead of second-place Evert Silva of Portland. Nading led the Wolves to a second-place team finish.

Also Nominated: Corbin Carlton (Central Washington), Ivan Colmenero (Montana State Billings), Godfrey Kemboi (Northwest Nazarene), Colton Buster (Saint Martin’s).

WOMEN
Alexa Shindruk, Central Washington
Senior • Bellingham, Wash.

Shindruk led all GNAC competitors at the Inland Empire Championships in Lewiston, Idaho. Breaking up a potential top-seven sweep for Division I Boise State, Shindruk placed third as she covered the 5,000-meter course in a time of 17:27, averaging 5:38 per mile. She was just 11 seconds behind the winner, Claire Graves of Boise State.

Also Nominated: Ruth Chepsat (Montana State Billings), Kalen Johnson (Northwest Nazarene), Alyssa Robinson (Saint Martin’s), Kaylyn Cantu (Western Oregon).

AROUND THE GNAC
ALASKA
LAST WEEK: No Meet
THIS WEEK: Oct. 20 at Western Washington Classic

• Alaska did not compete last week, but returns to competition on Saturday at the Western Washington Invitational.

• Alaska compiled a third-place women’s finish and a fourth-place men’s finish at the Emerald City Open on Oct. 6.

• Junior Alexandra Bergholtz placed fifth in the women’s 6,000-meter race, the best placing of any GNAC runner in the meet. She finished in a time of 23:13, translating to an average of 6:15 per mile.

• Sophomore Anja Maijala was the other top-20 women’s finisher for Nanooks, placing 19th with a time of 24:55.

• Junior Lukash Platil paced the Alaska men, placing 12th in the 8,000-meter race with a time of 27:15, averaging 5:28 per mile. Freshman Jack Matherly was the No. 2 runner for UAF, placing 28th in 28:05.

ALASKA ANCHORAGE
LAST WEEK: No Meet
THIS WEEK: Oct. 20 at Western Washington Classic

• After not racing the last two weekends, Alaska Anchorage will compete at Western Washington Classic on Saturday.

• The Seawolves’ men finished just short of a perfect score at the UNLV Invitational on Sept. 22, sweeping the top-four places for a final score of 18 points. The UAA women placed four top-runners in the top-seven to score the team victory with 26 points.

• In his second race for the Seawolves, junior Wesley Kirui finished just ahead of teammate Felix Kemboi to take the individual title with a time of 26:10.0 over 8,000 meters. Kemboi was clocked in a time of 26:10.1. Senior Jorge Sanchez finished third in the race with a time of 26:51.7 while sophomore Nickson Koech placed fourth with a time of 26:55.8.

• Junior Emmah Chelimo won her first race as a UAA cross country runner, covering the women’s 5,000-meter course in a time of 18:54.7, averaging 6:05 per mile. Sophomore Nancy Jeptoo placed second in a time of 18:58.3. Senior Zennah Jepchumba placed sixth in a time of 19:39.0.

• The UAA women are ranked No. 8 in this week’s USTFCCCA Division II Coaches Poll while the UAA men have dropped out of the top-25.

CENTRAL WASHINGTON
LAST WEEK: Oct. 13 at Inland Empire Championships
Men - 8th of 16, 255 pts.  Women - 6th of 17, 162 pts.
THIS WEEK: Oct. 20 at Western Washington Classic

• Led by a third-place finish by senior Alexa Shindruk, the Central Washington women placed sixth while the men placed eighth at the Inland Empire Championships.

• Shindruk was named the GNAC Women’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week after she covered the 5,000-meter course in a time of 17:27. She broke up a potential top-five sweep by Division I Boise State.

• Sophomore Nicole Soleim added a top-20 finish, placing 18th in a time of 18:08. Freshman Molly Matson rounded our CWU in the top-40, placing 39th in 18:38.

• Senior Corbin Carlton led the Central Washington men, placing 45th in a time of 25:34 over the 8,000-meter course. Freshman Turlan Morlan was 58th as he finished in a time of 25:47.

• Central Washington will compete this weekend at the Western Washington Classic.

CONCORDIA
LAST WEEK: Oct. 13 at Lewis & Clark Invitational
Men - 8th of 13, 200 pts.  Women - 8th of 14, 203 pts.
THIS WEEK: No Meet

• Concordia posted a pair of eighth-place team finishes in its final tune-up prior to the GNAC Championships at the Lewis & Clark Invitational.

• Senior Dominic Giordano had the highest individual placing for Concordia. He finished 15th in the 8,000-meter race in a time of 24:53.6. Senior Josh Moats was not too far behind as he finished 17th in a time of 24:53.6.

• Junior Bailey Fjelstul led the Cavaliers in the women’s race. She finished 21st in the women’s 6,000-meter race in a time of 22:36.5. Senior Nicole Pederson was not far behind, placing 27th in a time of 22:47.9.

• The Cavaliers will have a two-week break before competing at the GNAC Championships on Sat., Nov. 3.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
LAST WEEK: Oct. 12 at NCAA West Region Preview
Men - 3rd of 4, 58 pts. Women - 2nd of 3, 56 pts.
THIS WEEK: No Meet

• Montana State Billings put together a pair of solid team performances at their own Division II West Region Preview Meet in Billings. The meet was a preview of the course that will be used for the NCAA West Region Championships.

• Senior Ivan Colmenero posted a top-five finish for the Yellowjackets in his first race this season at the regional distance. Colmenero placed fifth as he covered the 10,000-meter course in a time of 33:10.92, breaking up a potential perfect score for Black Hills State. Junior Ronald Venema placed eighth in 33:35.47.

• Sophomore Ruth Chepsat was the Yellowjackets’ top women’s placer for the second straight meet, taking sixth place as she covered the 6,000-meter course in 23:25.82. Junior Nikki Aiken placed 12th in a time of 23:56.57.

• The meet was the last for Montana State Billings before the GNAC Championships on Sat., Nov. 3.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
LAST WEEK: Oct. 13 at Inland Empire Championships
Men - 7th of 16, 248 pts.  Women - 9th of 16, 245 pts.
THIS WEEK: No Meet

• Behind a top-10 finish by junior Godfrey Kemboi, Northwest Nazarene closed its regular season at the Inland Empire Championships on Saturday.

• Kemboi placed eighth in the men’s 8,000-meter race in a time of 24:37. He was the top non-Division I competitor in the race and was the only Division II competitor in the top-40. Freshman Treyson Conley was the No. 2 runner for the Nighthawks, placing 61st in 25:50.

• Freshman Kalen Johnson led the Nighthawks’ women, placing 13th in the women’s 5,000-meter race in a time of 18:06. Junior Bethany Danner also notched a top-25 finish, placing 24th in 18:15.

• Northwest Nazarene will not compete again until the GNAC Championships on Sat., Nov. 3.

SAINT MARTIN’S
LAST WEEK: Oct. 13 at Warner Pacific CC Classic
Men - 5th of 11, 136 pts.  Women - 6th of 9, 164 pts.
THIS WEEK: Oct. 20 at Western Washington Classic

• Saint Martin’s posted a pair of solid team performances at the Warner Pacific Classic on Saturday in Portland.

• The Saints’ men placed fifth out of 11 teams with a total of 136 points. Junior Colton Buster was the team’s top finisher, placing 26th in a time of 26:23.6 over the 8,000-meter course. Freshman John Farrell was just 10 seconds back of Buster, placing 33rd in 26:36.7.

• Freshman Alyssa Robinson paced Saint Martin’s sixth-place women’s team finish, placing 34th in a time of 20:16.0 over 5,000 meters. Junior Yeshi Vaughan placed 38th in 20:43.2 while Sadie Dalgleish was 39th in 20:47.5.

• Saint Martin’s will finish the regular season on Saturday, competing at the Western Washington Classic.

SEATTLE PACIFIC
LAST WEEK: Oct. 13 at Inland Empire Championships
Men - 11th of 16, 334 pts.  Women - 4th of 17, 122 pts.
THIS WEEK: No Meet

• The fourth-place team finish for the women, the best by a non-Division I team, led Seattle Pacific at the Inland Empire Championships.

• The women scored 122 points, just 11 points behind third-place Montana. The placing helped allow the Falcons to remain tied at No. 12 in the USTFCCCA Division II Coaches Poll.

• Freshman Kaylee Mitchell was SPU’s top finisher in the women’s 5,000-meter race, placing seventh in time of 17:49. Junior Kate Lilly was 11th in a time of 18:00 while junior Katherine Walter placed 20th in a time of 18:11.

• In the men’s 8,000-meter race, freshman Colby Otero was the Falcons’ top placer, finishing in 54th place in a time of 25:42. Sophomore Elius Graff followed in 66th in a time of 25:55.

• The meet was the last for Seattle Pacific prior to the GNAC Championships on Sat., Nov. 3.

SIMON FRASER
LAST WEEK: No Meet
THIS WEEK: Oct. 20 at Western Washington Classic

• Simon Fraser did not compete last week. The Clan will finish its regular season this Saturday at the Western Washington Classic.

• Simon Fraser showed well against a large Division II field at the Division II Conference Crossover on Oct. 6. The SFU women placed second while the men finished third.

• Freshman Sophia Kaiser led the Clan with a ninth-place finish as she covered the 6,000-meter course in 22:21.90. Sophomore Olivia Willett provided another top-20 finish for the Clan as she placed 15th in a time of 22:29.20.

• Senior Rowan Doherty claimed ninth place as he covered the men’s 8,000-meter course in 24:59.40. Freshman Pierre-Louis Detourbe was right behind Doherty as he placed 10th in a time of 25:00.30.

• In this week’s USTFCCCA Division II Coaches Poll, the SFU men lead all GNAC teams at No. 8 while the women are ranked No. 10.

WESTERN OREGON
LAST WEEK: Oct. 13 at Warner Pacific CC Classic
Men - 2nd of 11, 42 pts.  Women - 3rd of 9, 83 pts.
THIS WEEK: No Meet

• Behind senior Dustin Nading’s second individual victory of the season, the Western Oregon men placed second and the women placed third at the Warner Pacific Classic.

• Nading was named the GNAC Men’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week for the victory, running 24:11.5 over the 8,000-meter course. He finished four seconds ahead of the second-place athlete, Evert Silva of Portland.

• The Wolves placed all five scoring men’s runners in the top-15. Senior Tyler Jones placed fifth in a time of 24:32.3 while senior Parker Marson finished 11th in a time of 24:53.9.

• Western Oregon’s women placed third in the women’s 5,000-meter race. The Wolves were led by freshman Kaylin Cantu, who placed 10th in a time of 18:38.3. Senior Cassie McKinney had the other top-20 finish, placing 20th in 19:21.3.

• The WOU men are still ranked in the USTFCCCA Division II Coaches Poll, sitting in a three-way tie at No. 25.

• The meet was Western Oregon’s last prior to the GNAC Championships, which WOU will host at the Ash Creek Preserve on Sat., Nov. 3.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
LAST WEEK: No Meet
THIS WEEK: Oct. 20 at Western Washington Classic

• After running in two meets the week before, Western Washington did not race last week. The Vikings will host the Western Washington Classic on Saturday.

• Western Washington showed well at the Division II Conference Crossover on Oct. 6, taking fourth in the women’s competition and eighth in the men’s race. In addition, the Vikings’ second squads posted a pair of second-place finishes at the Emerald City Open.

• The Vikings’ women were led at the Crossover by back-to-back finishes from juniors Sophia Galvez and Talia Dreicer. Galvez placed 28th as she covered the 6,000-meter course in 22:54.10 while Dreicer was 29th in 22:54.20.

• The WWU men tied with Western Oregon at the Crossover, winning on a 3-2 tiebreaker with the No. 3-5 runners finishing higher than those of the Wolves. Sophomore Eric Hamel led the way with a 27th place finish as he covered the 8,000-meter course in 25:27.90.

• At the Emerald City Open, junior Peter Butler led the Western Washington finishers in eighth place, covering the men’s 8,000-meter course in 27:05. Junior Aundrea Koger was the top women’s finish, placing ninth as she covered the 6,000-meter course in 23:53.

• Western Washington’s women are ranked No. 14 in this week’s USTFCCCA Division II Coaches Poll while the men are ranked No. 19.