Friday, October 14, 2016

SEAWOLVES, CLAN EXCEL IN CONFERENCE MEET PREVIEW: Alaska Anchorage and Simon Fraser put togehter the top team performances as eight conference teams previewed the GNAC Championships course at the Western Washington Classic last Friday.
The UAA women won the team competition with 76 points. Simon Fraser placed third with 101 points while Seattle Pacific placed fifth with 122 points.

The Alaska Anchorage men placed second in the men’s team competition with 53 points, 15 points behind meet champion Trinity Western. Simon Fraser placed third with 94 points and host Western Washington was fourth with 98 points.

Western Washington junior Isaac Derline was the individual men’s champion, covering the 10,000-meter course in 31:13.2. Alaska Anchorage senior Michel Ramirez placed fourth in 31:36.6. and junior Edwin Kangogo placed fifth with 31:40.6.

Alaska Anchorage junior Caroline Kurgat was the top GNAC women’s finisher, placing second with a time of 21:26.5 over 6,000 meters. Seattle Pacific’s Sarah Macdonald placed fourth in 21:46.0 and Saint Martin’s Shannon Porter placed fifth in 21:47.8.

CONFERENCE MEET UPCOMING: The 2016 GNAC Cross Country Championships is just a week away. The championship meet takes place on Sat., 22, at East Lake Padden Park in Bellingham, Wash. The men’s 8,000-meter race will begin at 10 a.m. (Pacific) with the women’s 6,000-meter race begins at 11 a.m.

Alaska Anchorage is the defending champion for both the men and women. The Seawolves’ men scored 21 points to win their sixth consecutive title, led by Henry Cheseto’s individual title time of 24:22.70. Cheseto returns to the meet, but ranjust  his first race of the season at Lake Padden last Saturday.

The UAA women scored 39 points to win its fifth title in the last six seasons. Joyce Chelimo claimed the individual title with a time of 21:00.90. Like Cheseto, Chelimo ran her first race of the season last Saturday.

IN THE RANKINGS: Alaska Anchorage is the top men’s and women’s GNAC team in the final USTFCCCA Division II Coaches Polls of the regular season. The Seawolves are the only GNAC team in the men’s poll at No. 9. The Seawolves are 14th in the women’s poll, followed by Simon Fraser at No. 19 and Seattle Pacific at No. 25.

In the men’s regional rankings, Alaska Anchorage is No. 3, followed by Simon Fraser at No. 7, Western Washington at No. 8 and Western oregon at No. 10. Alaska Anchorage is No .3 in the women’s West Region rankings, followed by Simon Fraser at No. 5, Seattle Pacific at No. 7 and Western Washington at No. 8.

BREAKING THE TAPE: A total of 11 GNAC athletes have won 13 races over the the season. Western Oregon’s David Ribich and Saint Martin’s Shannon Porter are both two-race winners. Here is the complete list...

MEN
• Isaac Derline (WWU): WWU Classic, Oct. 11 (31:13.2).
• Godfrey Kemboi (NNU): Yellowjacket Invitational, Sept. 23 (32:20.5).
• Edwin Kangogo (UAA): Notre Dame de Namur Argo Invite, Sept. 3 (21:14.9).
• David Ribich (WOU): John Frank OSU Invitational, Sept. 3 (18:21.6.); Ash Creek Invitaitional #1, Sept. 9 (18:53.8.).
• Andrew Wise (WWU): Central Washington Invitational, Sept. 10 (20:19).

WOMEN
• Rebecca Bassett (SFU): Ash Creek Inviational #1, Sept. 10 (16:52.8).
• Mary Charleson (SPU): Humboldt Invitational, Sept. 10 (21:08.21).
• Elena Gomez (CWU): Central Washington Invitational, Sept. 10 (15:11)
• Caroline Kurgat (UAA): Notre Dame de Namur Invitational, Sept. 3 (18:52.9).
• Sierra Manzer (NNU): Idaho State Invitational, Sept. 2 (10:45.2).
• Shannon Porter (SMU): Logger Invitational, Sept. 3 (20:35.17); SMU Open, Sept. 24 (17:50.10).

THIS WEEK'S GNAC ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
MEN
Isaac Derline, Western Washington
Junior • Kent, Wash.

Running on his home course, Derline won the Western Washington Classic on Saturday as he covered the 10,000-meter course in 31:13.2. It was Derline’s second career victory and the first win by a WWU runner in the meet since 2009.

Also Nominated: Garrett Love (Montana State Billings), Isaac Mitchell (Northwest Nazarene), Jasper Heckman (Saint Martin’s), Michel Ramirez (Alaska Anchorage), Jared Seckel (Concordia).

WOMEN
Caroline Kurgat, Alaska Anchorage
Junior • Eldoret, Kenya

Kurgat was the top GNAC finisher at the Western Washington Classic, placing second on the 6,000-meter course in 21:26.5. She was 1.6 seconds behind winner Regan Yee of Trinity Western and led the Seawolves to the team title with 76 points.

Also Nominated: Rebecca Bassett (Simon Fraser), Rio Frame (Montana State Billings), Sierra Manzer (Northwest Nazarene), Shannon Porter (Saint Martin’s), Mary Charleson (Seattle Pacific), Nicole Pederson (Concordia).

AROUND THE GNAC
ALASKA
• In its final tuneup before the GNAC Championships, Alaska’s men and women finished 11th at the Western Washington Classic.

• Seniors Kali Striker and Dorothy O’Donnell had back-to-back leading finishes for the Nanooks’ women. Striker placed 36th in the 6,000-meter race in 23:04.3 and O’Donnell placed 37th in 23:07.8.

• Freshman Jacob Walsh paced the Alaska men, finishing 58th in a time of 33:55.0 over 10,000 meters. Senior Keegan Rankin placed 76th in 33:59.7.

• Alaska looks to the GNAC Championships with a chance to move up a couple of positions in the team standings. The Nanooks’ women placed eighth in 2015 while the men placed 10th.

ALASKA ANCHORAGE
• Alaska Anchorage posted a pair of solid team performances at the Western Washington Classic. The Seawolves’ women won the team title with a score of 78 points while the men placed second with a total of 53 points.

• Junior Caroline Kurgat was named GNAC Women’s Cross Country Arthlete of the Week after placing second at the WWU Classic. Kurgat covered the 6,000 meters in 21:26.5, finshing two seconds behind winner Regan Yee of Trinity Western.

• Senior Michel Ramirez was the Seawolves’ top men’s finisher, placing fourth in a time of 31:36.6 over 10,000 meters. Junior Edwin Kangogo was fifth in 31:40.8.

• The WWU Classic marked the return of the the conference’s defending champions. Senior Joyce Chelimo placed 10th in the women’s race in a time of 22:05.7. Junior Henry Cheseto was 11th in the men’s race with a time of 31:56.5.

• The Seawolves lead the GNAC in both the USTFCCCA Division II Coaches Poll. Alaska Anchorage’s men dropped one spot to No. 9 while the women returned from a two-week hiatus to show up at No. 14. Both teams are No. 3 in the West Region rankings.

• Alaska Anchorage is the defending GNAC men’s and women’s cross country champion. The men have won six consecutive titles while the women have won six of the last seven league titles.

CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• Central Washington finished eighth in the men’s team competition and the women placed 10th at the WWU Classic. The men scored 225 points while the women scored 247 points.

• Sophomore Josh Boston was the top CWU men’s finisher, placing 46th in a time of 33:14.7 over 10,000 meters. Senior Kaleb Javier was three places behind in 49th place in 33:20.5 while sophomore Jonathan Lafferty was 51st in 233:28.0. A total of 24 seconds separated the No. 1 and No. 5 runners.

• Sophomore Alexa Shindruk led the Central Washington women, placing 29th in a time of 22:53.1 over 6,000 meters. Senior Stephanie Rexus was the Wildcats’ No. 2 runner, placing 53rd in 23:34.1. Sophomore Elena Gomez and freshman Delaney Clem placed 58th and 59th, respectively, with times of 23:40.1 and 23:40.4.

• Central Washington is one of four GNAC teams schedules to compete this week, entered in Saturday’s Emerald City Open in Seattle.

CONCORDIA
• In the team’s final tuneup before the GNAC Championships, Concordia placed ninth in the men’s competition (290 points) and 14th in the women’s competition (416 points) at the WWU Classic.

• Senior Jared Seckel led the Concordia men, placing 28th with a time of 32:38.2 over the 10,000-meter course. Junior Judd Lewis was three places behind in 31st in a time of 32:49.5.

• Sophomore Nicole Pederson led the Concordia women individually, placing 97th in a time of 25:00.2 over 6,000 meters. Freshman Gabby Hobson was three places behind, placing 100th in 25:12.6.

• Concordia is looking to climb in its second GNAC Championships. The Cavaliers’ women placed eighth in 2015 while the men placed 11th.

• Concordia is in the third year of a three-year transition process to NCAA Division II membership. This is its second 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 completed its regular season at home, racing the Yellowjacket Open at Amend Park. The Yellowjackets’ men placed third with 65 points while the women placed third with 94 points.

• Senior Garrett Love notched a top-five finish in the men’s four-mile race, finishing fifth in a time of 20:01. Junior Jorey Egeland placed ninth with a time of 20:09 and senior Josh Panasuk placed 12th in 20:17.

• Senior Rio Frame led the MSUB women, placing 11th in a time of 19:15 for 5,000 meters. Freshman Nikki Allen placed 18th in a time of 19:40.

• Montana State Billings placed fifth in the men’s competition at the GNAC Championships while the Yellowjackets’ women placed 11th. The Yellowjackets will host the NCAA West Regional Championships on Nov. 5.

• Montana State Billings will be a relative unknown to the rest of the conference at the GNAC Championships. Outside of Northwest Nazarene’s presence at September’s Yellowjacket Invitational, the Yellowjackets have not raced against GNAC competition this season.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• Northwest Nazarene posted a pair of solid team performances at the San Francisco State Invitational. The Crusaders’ women placed fourth with 118 points while the men placed fifth with 128 points.

• Sophomore Sierra Manzer captured a top-five finish in the women’s 6,000-meter race, placing third in a time of 22:11.0. Her sister, junior Anysja Manzer, placed ninth in 22:38.9.

• Junior Isaac Mitchell and freshman Godfrey Kemboi posted back-to-back top-10 finishes. Mitchell placed sixth in 25:29.7 over 8,000 meters while Kemboi placed seventh in 25:49.7.

• Northwest Nazarene is one of four GNAC teams scheduled to compete in the final week before the GNAC Championships, scheduled to compete at the Lewis & Clark Invitational on Saturday.

• The Crusaders placed seventh in both the men’s and women’s competition at the 2015 GNAC Championships. The women finished with 205 points and the men finished with 215 points.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• Saint Martin’s finished its tuneup for the GNAC Championships at the WWU Classic. The SMU women placed ninth with 242 points while the men placed 14th with 364 points.

• Senior Shannon Porter continued her solid first collegiate cross country season, placing fifth with a time of 21:47.8 over 6,000 meters. She was the thrid GNAC runner to cross the finish line.

• Junior Yadira Lopez also had a top-30 finish for the SMU women, placing 29th in a time of 22:46.8.

• Senior Jasper Heckman was the top finisher for the Saint Martin’s men, placing 88th in a time of 34:23.6 over 10,000 meters. Sophomore Joe Edgecomb was 95th in a time of 34:38.3.

• Saint Martin’s men placed ninth at the 2015 GNAC Championships, scoring 217 points. The SMU women claimed 10th place with 298 points, breaking a tie with Concordia on the No. 6 runner.

SEATTLE PACIFIC
• Seattle Pacific showed well at the WWU Classic. The women placed fifth with 122 points. The Falcons were the third GNAC team in the competition. Seattle Pacific’s men placed 13th with 341 points.

• Senior Sarah Macdonald was the Falcons’ top finisher, placing fourth in a time of 21:46.0. Junior Mary Charleson placed 11th in a time of 22:05.9 while senior Hannah Calvert placed 24th in 22:42.4.

• Junior Ben Halladay finished 35th to lead SPU in men’s 10,000-meter race with a time of 32:53.0. Freshman Danny Provo was the Falcons’ No. 2 runner, placing 92nd in 34:33.7.

• The Seattle Pacific women dropped seven spots in the latest AVCA Division II Coaches Poll, staying in the rankings at No. 25. The Falcons enter the week ranked No. 7 in the West Region.

• Seattle Pacific will look to build on a solid women’s team performance at the 2015 GNAC Championships. The Falcons placed fifth last year with 114 points, two points behind Simon Fraser. The SPU men placed ninth last year with a score of 252 points.

SIMON FRASER
• Simon Fraser notched a pair of third place finishes at the Western Washington Classic. The SFU men finished with 94 points while the women scored 101 points.

• Junior Braeden Charlton was the top SFU men’s finisher, placing 12th in a time of 31:58.7 over 10,000 meters. The Clan then had three straight finishers between 17th and 19th. Sophomore Rowan Doherty was 17th in 32:18.7, senior Marc-Antoine Rouleau was 18th in 32:20.0 and sophomore Sean Miller was 19th in 32:21.0.

• Senior Rebecca Bassett was the Clan’s top women’s finisher, placing 12th with a time of 22:06.0 over 6,000 meters. Junior Julia Howley was one place behind in 13th with a time of 22:15.9.

• The SFU women returned to the USTFCCCA Coaches Poll after a three-week absence, tying for 19th in this week’s poll with Montevallo. The women are ranked fifth in the region. The Simon Fraser men are No. 7 in the West Region rankings.

• Simon Fraser is one of four teams scheduled to compete in the final week before the GNAC Championships, The Clan is scheduled to compete in the Emerald City Invitational on Saturday in Seattle.

WESTERN OREGON
• Western Oregon was the only GNAC team not to compete last week. The previously scheduled Ash Creek Invitiational #2 last Friday was cancelled.

• The Wolves are scheduled to compete at the Mike Hodges Invitational in Oregon City, Ore., on Saturday.

• Western Oregon stayed close to home for its last meet on Oct. 1, competing at the Charles Bowles Willamette Invitational in Salem. The Wolves’ men placed fifth with 166 points while the women placed ninth with 219 points.

• Sophomore Dustin Nading led the WOU men, placing eighth with a time of 25:08.8 over 8,000 meters. Freshman Justin Crosswhite placed 16th in a time of 25:27.0.

• Junior Kennedy Ruferner was Western Oregon’s top women’s runner once again, placing 16th in a time of 18:26.0. Sophomore Grace Knapp placed 33rd in a time of 18:48.7.

• Western Oregon’s men continued to be ranked in the USTFCCCA West Region Rankings, ranked No. 10 for the fourth consecutive week.

• Western Oregon placed fourth in the men’s competition at the 2015 GNAC Championships with 118 points. The WOU women placed sixth with 183 points.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• The home course was kind to Western Washington during the WWU Classic. The Vikings’ men placed fourth with a score of 98 points while the women placed seventh with 159 points.

• Junior Isaac Derline was named GNAC Men’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week after he won the WWU Classic with a time of 31:13.2 over 10,000 meters. He became the first WWU men’s individual champion at the meet since 2009.

• Senior Matthew Lutz placed sixth in the meet with a time of 31:42.3. He was the No. 4 GNAC finisher in the race.

• Senior Brittany Grant was the top WWU women’s finisher, placing 17th in a time of 22:26.7 over 6,000 meters. Junior Lilianna Stelling placed 20th in a time of 22:35.1.

• Despite the performances at the WWU Classic, both Western Washington teams fell out of the USTFCCCA Division II Coaches Poll. The women were ranked 15th the week before and the men were ranked 22nd. Both teams are eighth in the West Region.

• Western Washington was the runner-up in the women’s team competition at the 2015 GNAC Championships, scoring 71 points. The Vikings’ men placed third with 83 points.