Saturday, October 26, 2013

MONMOUTH, Ore. - Alaska Anchorage's Susan Tanui successfully defended her women's individual title Saturday in the 13th annual Great Northwest Athletic Conference cross country championships at the Ash Creek Preserve on the campus of Western Oregon University.

UAA won both individual crowns as Isaac Kangogo led a 1-2-3 Seawolf sweep in the men's 8,000-meter race. It was the sixth year in a row a UAA athlete has won the men's individual title.

The Seawolves also won both team titles, outpointing Simon Fraser 36-49 for their fifth straight women's title and edging Western Washington 32-35 for their fourth consecutive men's championship. 

Both title streaks are the best in GNAC cross country history.

Seattle Pacific, which finished third Saturday, won four straight women's championships (2005-08) prior to UAA's current five-year run.   Western Washington, which won back-to-back crowns in 2006 and 2007, is the only other men's team to go back-to-back.

Tanui, who will defend her 2012 NVAA Division II West Region title at Spokane in two weeks,  was clocked in a time of 20:24.74 on the women's 6,000-meter layout.

Her time is the best in the 13-year history of the meet, bettering her winning time of 20:37.29 from last year's meet.  A year ago she also finished second in the NCAA Division II national meet at Joplin, Mo.

Katelyn Steen of Western Washington finished second Saturday in a time of 20:31.99. 

UAA placed three runners in the Top 4 as Ivy O'Guinn finished third in a time of 20:32.67 and Joyce Kipchumba ended up fourth in a time of 20:35.05. 

Lindsey Butterworth led Simon Fraser to its third consecutive second-place team finish placing fifth overall in a time of 20:42.90 and  earning all-conference honors for the third year in a row.

O'Guinn also earned her third consecutive all-conference award. Also repeating from last year's women's all-conference team were Tanui and Simon Fraser's Kansas Mackenzie, who finished eighth in a time of 20:57.61.

Joining Tanui, Steen, O'Guinn, Kipchumba, Butterworth and Mackenzie on the women's all-conference team were Connie Morgan and Dani Eggleston of Central Washington, Natalie Evans of Northwest Nazarene and Kirsten Allen of Simon Fraser.

Morgan and Eggleston finished sixth and seventh, respectively, for the Wildcats in times of 20:49.89 and 20:52.30.  Evans placed ninth in a time of 21:00.55.  Allen placed 10th in a time of 21:05.19.

Tanui earned GNAC Female Athlete of the Year honors with her first-place finish. 

Kipchumba, a transfer from American International, earned GNAC Newcomer of the Year honors with her fourth-place finish.  Simon Fraser's Rebecca Bassett, who finished 15th in a time of 21:14.23, earned GNAC Freshman of the Year honors.

In the men's race, Kangogo posted a time of 24:51.27, finishing just ahead of teammates Victor Samoei (24:52.14) and Dylan Anthony (24:54.09). 

Joining the three UAA athletes on the GNAC all-conference team were five Western Washington runners and one each from Simon Fraser and Western Oregon.

The Vikings' Chip Jackson placed fourth in a time of 25:03.74, just ahead of fifth-place Brady Beagley of Western Oregon, who was clocked in a time of 25:06.76.

Four of the next five finishers were from WWU - Tanner Boyd (6th, 25:07.75), Tabor Reedy (7th, 25:14.25), Nathan Richards (8th, 25:14.90) and Jonathan Quimby (10th, 25:15.11). 

Oliver Jorgensen of Simon Fraser, which finished third in the men's team standings, placed ninth in a time of 25:15.09.

Kangogo and Anthony earned their third consecutive all-conference awards.  Jackson was also a repeater from last year's all-conference team.

Winning special awards were Kangogo, Samoei, Richards and Jorgenson.

By virtue of winning the race, Kangogo is the GNAC Athlete of the Year award winner. 

Samoei and Jorgensen sharedGNAC Freshman of the Year honors with their Top 10 finishes. Richards, a transfer from Clark Community College, is the GNAC Newcomer of the Year award winner.

Women - Alaska Anchorage 36, Simon Fraser 49, Seattle Pacific 94, Western Washington 112, Central Washington 127, Western Oregon 161, Northwest Nazarene 193, Alaska Fairbanks 215, MSU Billings 228, Saint Martin's 312.  All-Conference (Top 10) - 1. Susan Tanui, UAA, 20:24.74; 2. Katelyn  Steen, WWU, 20:31.99; 3. Ivy O'Guinn, UAA, 20:32.67; 4. Joyce Kipchumba, UAA, 20:35.05; 5. Lindsey Butterworth, SFU, 20:42.90; 6. Connie Morgan, CWU, 20:49.89; 7. Dani Eggleston, CWU, 20:52.30; 8. Kansas Mackenzie, SFU, 20:57.61; 9. Natalie Evans, NNU, 21:00.55; 10. Kirsten Allen, SFU, 21:05.19.

Men - Alaska Anchorage 32, Western Washington 35, Simon Fraser 114, Western Oregon 125, MSU Billings 142, Central Washington 142, Alaska Fairbanks 198, Seattle Pacific 225, Northwest Nazarene 236, Saint Martin's 254.  All-Conference (Top 10) - 1. Isaac Kangogo, UAA, 24:51.27; 2. Victor Samoei, UAA, 24:52.14; 3. Dylan Anthony, UAA, 24:54.09; 4. Chip Jackson, WWU, 25:03.74; 5. Brady Beagley, WOU, 25:06.76; 6. Tanner Boyd, WWU, 25:07.75; 7. Tabor Reedy, WWU, 25:14.25; 8. Nathan Richards, WWU, 25:14.90; 9. Oliver Jorgensen, SFU, 25:15.09; 10. Jonathan Quimbym WWU, 25:15.11.