Thursday, October 1, 2015

SIMON SAYS: Simon Fraser represented the GNAC well in the prestigious Stanford Invitational in Palo Alto, Calif. The Clan men finished eighth out of 30 teams in the college men’s races, which included teams from all levels of collegiate running. Simon Fraser survived an intital disqualification after five of the team’s runners lost their hip numbers in the first 100 meters of the race. The runners were reinstated after it was determined that the runners did not intentionally take their hip numbers off.

Junior Oliver Jorgensen led the way with a 22nd place finish, covering the 8,000-meter in a time of 24:22.0. For his race, Jorgensen was named the GNAC Men’s Cross Country Runner of the Week for the second consecutive week. The Clan put four of their top-five runners in the top-100.

The Simon Fraser women finished 16th. The Clan were led by junior Rebecca Bassett, who was named the GNAC Women’s Cross Country Runner of the Week after placing 26th in a time of 21:32.8

PETERSON PERFORMS IN MINNESOTA: Montana State Billings senior Robert Peterson did not win his fourth race of the season, but still turned in a standout performance at the Roy Griak Invitational in St. Paul, Minn. Peterson placed fourth in the race, covering the 8,000-meter course in 26:04. The race featured over 350 runners from 38 Division II programs.

PERFECTION: The Western Washington men became the second GNAC team this season to compile a perfect team score, scoring the perfect 15 points at the SMU Open. The Vikings actually put 10 of their 13 runners in the top-10 of the race, led by sophomore Isaac Derline’s winning time of 25:41.83. Alaska Anchorage is the other perfect GNAC team this season, having scored 15-point totals at both of their Hawaii meets to open the season.

IN THE RANKINGS: Alaska Anchorage has not competed for two weeks, but still retained top spots in both USTFCCCA Division II National Polls. The Seavolves’ men moved up one spot to No. 6 while the UAA women moved up to  No. 7. Alaska Anchorage will not compete again until the Western Washington Invitational on Sat., Oct. 10.

The men’s poll saw Simon Fraser retain their No. 14 position in the poll while Western Washington dropped one spot to No. 20. In the women’s poll, Western Washington dropped one spot to No. 11 as did Seattle Pacific, which dropped to No. 19.

CHAMPIONSHIPS: Western Washington will host the 2015 GNAC Cross Country Championships on Sat., Oct. 24, at Bellingham’s East Lake Padden Park. Western Oregon will host the NCAA Divison II West Regional Championships on Sat., Nov. 7, on their own Ash Creek Preserve course on campus in Monmouth. All GNAC teams automatically qualify for the regional meet. The top four men’s teams and the top five women’s team in the regional meet qualifiy for the NCAA Division II Championships, which take place on Sat., Nov. 21, in Joplin, Mo.

THIS WEEK'S GNAC CROSS COUNTRY RUNNERS OF THE WEEK
MEN
Oliver Jorgensen, Simon Fraser
Junior • Abbotsford, B.C.

Jorgensen finished 22nd overall at the prestigious Stanford Invitational, finishing 10 seconds short of his season best time for 8,000 meters in 24:22. Simon Fraser was the top non-Division I team in the men’s college race as the Clan placed eighth. Also Nominated: Isaac Derline (Western Washington), Jasper Heckman (Saint Martin’s), Robert Peterson (Montana State Billings).

WOMEN
Rebecca Bassett, Simon Fraser
Junior • Nanaimo, B.C.

Bassett was the top Division II finisher in the women’s college race at the Stanford Invitational, finishing 26th with a time of 21:32.8 over 6,000 meters. Also Nominated: Brittany Grant (Western Washington), Larissa Kolasinski (Saint Martin’s).

AROUND THE GNAC
ALASKA
• Alaska returned to competition after a two-week break as one of three GNAC teams competing at the huge Stanford Invitational. The Nanooks’ men finished in 27th place while the women finished 23rd.

• Junior Dorothy O’Donnell was the top placing runner for the Nanooks in either race, finishing 80th in the women’s 6,000-meter race in a season-best 22:37.6.

• All six Alaska women’s runners posted season best times for 6,000 meters. Junior Kali Striker was the No. 2 women’s runner for the Nanooks, placing 165th in a time of 23:51.1.

• Sophomore Alexander Eckert was the Nanooks’ top men’s finisher, placing 181st in the men’s 8,000-meter race in 26:27.2. The time was a season best by over a minute.

• In all, five of the six Alaska men’s runners posted season best times for the 8,000-meter distance. Sophomore Lyon Kopsack placed 189th while running a season best time of well over a minute of 26:33.0.

• The Alaska men opened the season by winning the shorter 5,000-meter race at the Alaska Invitational to open the season, led by a second place finish by Alexander Eckert (16:11.7). The Nanook women placed second in both the 6,000-meter race and the 5,000-meter race at their Alaska Invitational. Junior Dorothy O’Donnell was the top finisher for Alaska in both races with a pair of third place finishes (23:36.7 for 6,000 meters, 19:10.7 for 5,000 meters).

ALASKA ANCHORAGE
• Alaska Anchorage is in the midst of a three-week break from competition. The Seawolves will compete only one more time before the GNAC Championships, at the Western Washington Invitational on Sat., Oct. 10.

• Despite not competing, the Seawolves keep moving up in the USTFCCCA Division II National Polls. The Alaska Anchoarge men moved up one spot to No. 6, while the women moved up one spot to No. 7.

• The Alaska Anchorage men started the season with perfect scores in both of their Hawaii meets, the Big Wave Invitational on Sept. 5 and the Hawaii Pacific Invitational on Sept. 12.

• Sophomore Henry Cheseto, the defending GNAC and West Region champion, was named the Men’s Cross Country Runner of the Week for Sept. 7 - 13 after winning the Hawaii Pacific Invitational in 25:58.6.

• Sophomore Caroline Kurgat has won both women’s races that the Seawolves have competed in. Kurgat won the Big Wave Invitiational in 17:46.87 and the Hawaii Pacific Invitational in 18:15.9 (both 5,000 meters).

• Junior Joyce Chelimo has hardly missed a step after redshirting in 2014. Chelimo placed second in both the the Big Wave Invitational and the Hawaii Pacific Invitational with times of 17:49.83 and 18:18.0. A 2013 NCAA Division II All-American in 2013 (as Joyce Kipchumba), her time at the Big Wave Invitational is only seven seconds off her 5,000-meter best of 17:42.67, run Oct. 5, 2013 at the Charles Bowles Willamette Invitational.

CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• The Wildcats went split squad last weekend, with the top runners competing at the Stanford Invitational. A second squad travelled the shorter distance to Lacey, Wash., for the SMU Open.

• Central Washington’s women placed 14th out of 30 teams at the Stanford Invitational, scoring 376 points. The Wildcat men finished 25th with a total of 748 points.

• Senior Dani Eggleston was the No. 2 finisher from the GNAC in the women’s college race, covering the 6,000 meters in a season best 21:48.0. Senior Erin Chinchar finished 71st with a time of 22:32.7.

• In the Stanford men’s college race, freshman Jonathan Lafferty was the Wildcats’ top finisher, placing 144th with a season best time of 25:57.1. Sophomore Josh Boston, the No. 2 finisher for CWU, was 202nd in a season best 26:44.5.

• At the SMU Open, the women placed third in the small meet with 65 points. Junior Kaitlyn McKinney was the Wildcats’ top finisher, placing 16th in 20:25.41. Three men competed in the meet, led by Hanson Lee’s 20th place finish in 27:34.41.

• In their first 6,000-meter race of the season, the Sundodger Invitational, Central Washington’s women placed seventh. They were the third top-placing team from the GNAC behind Western Washington (1st) and Seattle Pacific (4th).

• After being listed in the USTFCCCA West Region Rankings each of the first three weeks, the CWU women dropped out. The Wildcats had been listed as high as fifth to start the season.

• Central Washington will take the upcoming weekend off from competition. They return to the course on Sat., Oct. 10, at the Western Washington Invitational.

CONCORDIA
• After competing in each of the first three weekends of the season, Concordia took last weekend off. The Cavaliers return to competition this weekend at the Charles Bowles Willamette Invitational.

• The women led the way for Concordia at the Sundodger Invitational on Sept. 19, placing 12th out of 22 teams. The Concordia men gained solid experience in their third meet of the season with a 17th place finish.

• Junior transfer Megan Fristoe was the fifth GNAC runner to cross the line in the women’s open race, placing 16th in a time of 21:59.68. Fristoe has finished in the top-20 in all three meets this season. Junior Jared Seckel was Concordia’s top men’s runner at the Sundodger Invitational, placing 84th while covering the 8,000-meter course in 26:21.65.

• Concordia is in the second year of a three-year transition process to NCAA Division II membership. This is their first year competing in full Division II and GNAC schedules. While the Cavaliers are eligible to win the GNAC championship, they are not eligible for regional & national competition.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• Montana State Billings headed east last weekend to the huge Roy Griak Invitational at the Univ. of Minnesota. The Yellowjackets’ men placed 11th in the men’s maroon race, comprised of Division II and NAIA programs. The MSU Billings’ women placed 28th in the women’s maroon race.

• Senior Robert Peterson didn’t win for the first time this season, but still placed fourth out of 391 finishers in the race. Peterson covered the 8,000 meters in 26:04.

• Junior Garrett Love and senior Matt Winter posted top-100 finishes to bolster the 11th place team finish. Love placed 38th in 27:13 while Winter finished 60th in 27:38.

• Senior Brielle Davis led the Montana State Billings’ women with a 63rd place finish out of 360 finishers. She covered the 6,000-meter course in a time of 24:46.3.

• Montana State Billings will take the only weekend off from competition this weekend. Both of their two remaining meets will be at home. The Yellowjackets host the Yellowjacket Invitiational on Oct. 9 and the Yellowjacket/Battlin’ Bear Dual on Oct. 15.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• Northwest Nazarene is in the midst of a three-week break from competition. The Crusaders will race next at the San Francisco State Invitational on Fri., Oct. 9, in the Bay Area.

• Northwest Nazarene competed in the same meet as their GNAC brethren for the only time before the conference championships at the Sundodger Invitational on Sept. 19. The Crusaders’ men placed 10th in the men’s open race and were the No. 4 team from the GNAC. The NNU women placed 14th.

• Sophomore Isaac Mitchell finished 12th in his first race at Sundodger, covering the 8,000 meters in 24:48.25. He was the fourth GNAC runner to cross the finish line.

• Freshman Sierra Manser placed 27th in her first collegiate 6,000-meter race at Sundodger, clocking in at 22:21.16. She was the eighth GNAC athlete to finish the women’s open race.

• The Sundodger was the only time that Northwest Nazarene will see another GNAC team prior to the GNAC Championships. The Crusaders will take the next two weekends off from competition and will race again at the San Francisco State Invitational on Fri., Oct. 9.

SEATTLE PACIFIC
• Seattle Pacific enjoyed a weekend off from competition after a pair of solid team performances in their hometown Sundodger Invitational on Sept. 19. The Falcons will be one of three GNAC teams competing at the Charles Bowles Willamette Invitational on Saturday in Salem, Ore.

• The Seattle Pacific women dropped one spot to No. 19 in the USTFCCCA Division II Poll. The Falcons entered the poll for the first time this season last week at No. 18.

• The Seattle Pacific women was one of the top teams for the GNAC at the Sundodger Invitational, placing fourth out of 22 teams in the women’s open race. Senior Anna Patti won her third consective race, covering the 6,000-meter course in a time of 21:11.82. The performance gave Patti her second GNAC Women’s Cross Country Runner of the Week award of the season.

• The Seattle Pacific men placed 19th at Sundodger. Sophomore Ben Halladay was the Falcons’ top runner, placing 76th in a time of 26:12.25. The performance is a 17-second improvement over last year.

• Seattle Pacific did not compete at the Willamette Invitational last year. In 2013, the SPU women scored 94 points and finished second, the best ever finish for the Falcons. The SPU men finished fourth in the same meet, which was also that program’s best finish.

SIMON FRASER
• It was a solid, if not adventuresome, weekend for the Clan at the Stanford Invitational. The Simon Fraser men placed eighth out of 30 teams in the men’s college race, but saw a number of their top runners initially disqualified for losing their bib numbers. A protest by SFU head coach Brit Townsend was upheld when it was determined that the runners did not intentionally lose their bibs and the eighth place finish was reinstated.

• Junior Oliver Jorgensen earned his second straight GNAC Men’s Cross Country Runner of the Week award after leading the SFU men with a 22nd place finish. Jorgensen covered the 8,000-meter course in 24:22.0. The week before, Jorgensen was second at the Sundodger Invitational.

• The Simon Fraser men put their five scoring runners in the top-100 and their top three runners in the top-70. Senior Marc-Antoine Rouleau was 60th in a time of 24:55.6 while senior Cameron Proceviat was 67th in 25:03.1.

• Junior Rebecca Bassett earned her second GNAC Women’s Cross Country Runner of the Week award of the season after leading the Clan with a 26th place individual finish. Her time of 21:32.8 over the 6,000-meter course was 11 seconds off of her season best at the distance.

• Sophomore Paige Nock had the Clan’s other top-100 finish, placing 91st in a time of 22:48.9.

• The Simon Fraser men maintained their No. 14 spot in the USTFCCCA Division II Coaches Poll as well as their No. 4 West Region ranking.

• Simon Fraser will be off this weekend after competing each of the last three weekends. The Clan will compete next on Sat., Oct. 10, at the Western Washington Invitational.

WESTERN OREGON
• Western Oregon took the weekend up from competition after competing the previous two weekends. The Wolves will be one of three GNAC teams competing at the Charles Bowles Willamette Invitational on Saturday in Salem, Ore.

• Western Oregon’s men put together a good performance at the Sundodger Invitational, placing eighth in the men’s 8,000-meter open race. The Wolves were the No. 3 team from the GNAC to finish.

• Sophomore David Ribich dropped just over a minute from his time at Sundodger last year, placing 10th in a time of 24:38.21. Ribich was the No. 3 GNAC individual finisher.

• Junior Nicole Maurmann led a 16th place finish for the WOU women at Sundodger, placing 59th in a time of 22:59.64. Senior Stephanie Stuckey placed 80th in 23:15.16.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• Western Washington joined Central Washington and Saint Martin’s at the SMU Open on Saturday. The Vikings’ men became the second GNAC team this season to compile a perfect score this season, scoring 15 points to win the meet (Alaska Anchorage has scored a perfect 15 twice this season). The Vikings’ women placed second, one point off a perfect score with 16 points.

• Sophomore Isaac Derline led a squadron of 10 Vikings’ runners to color the entire top-10 navy blue. Derline covered the 8,000-meter course in a time of 25:41. Junior Matthew Lutz was second at 25:50.84 and sophomore Andrew Wise placed third in 26:02.15.

• Junior Brittany Grant led seven Western Washington women in the top-10, winning the 5,000-meter race in a time of 17:48,94. Senior Taylor Guenther placed second in 18:21.03 and freshman Tracy Melville finished thrid in 18:31.90.

• The Western Washington men dropped two spots in the USTFCCCA Division II Poll to No. 20 The Vikings retained their No. 5 spot in the West Region Rankings. The Western Washington women dropped one spot in the national poll and retained their No. 3 regional ranking.

• Western Washington’s next two meets will take place on their home turf. The Vikings will host the Western Washington Invitational on Sat., Oct. 10, and then will host the GNAC Championships on Sat., Oct. 24, at Bellingham’s Lake Padden Park. It is the second time that WWU has hosted the GNAC meet. The first was in 2005.

• Western Oregon will be the host of the NCAA Division II West Regional Championships, which will take place on Sat., Nov. 7.