Wednesday, August 31, 2022

SECOND VERSE, SAME AS THE FIRST: For the second straight year, the 2022 GNAC cross country season began with a dual meet against the conference’s programs from the 49th state. And the results were a near carbon copy of 2021.

Alaska and Alaska Anchorage raced in the Blue & Gold Invite on Saturday at the UAF Trails in Fairbanks. For the second straight season, the Nanooks women defended the home course for the victory. Alaska finished with a total of 27 points, three points better than the Seawolves.

Sophomore Kendall Kramer was the winner of the women’s race for the second straight year as well, covering the 5,000-meter trail course in a time of 18:28. She was 11 seconds ahead of sophomore teammate Rosie Fordham, who crossed the line in a time of 18:39.

Freshman Elle Stevens was Alaska Anchorage’s top finisher, placing third in a time of 20:23.

For the second straight year, Alaska Anchorage collected the men’s team title with a score of 23 points, nine better than Alaska. Sophomore Coleman Nash repeated as champion, covering the 8,000-meter course in a time of 27:17. Senior Jesus Avalos was second in a time of 27:52.

Alaska was led in the men’s race by freshman Josh Baurick, who was fifth in a time of 30:02.

The two teams will square off again this weekend in the dual meet setting, facing off in the Seawolf Throwdown on Saturday at Anchorage’s Kincaid Park.

START ME UP: Three other GNAC teams will begin their 2022 seasons over Labor Day Weekend. Western Oregon opens with the Linfield Harrier Classic on Friday in McMinnville, Oregon, while Northwest Nazarene will travel to Twin Falls, Idaho for the CSI Invite.

Seattle Pacific will open the year on Saturday, competing at the Puget Sound Invitational at Fort Steilacoom Park in Lakewood, Washington.

WINNER’S CIRCLE: The following GNAC athletes have picked up cross country victories during the 2022 season...
MEN
Coleman Nash, UAA (UAF Blue & Gold Invite, Aug. 27, 27;17, 8,000m)

WOMEN
Kendall Kramer, UAF (UAF Blue & Gold Invite, Aug. 27, 18:28, 5,000m)

THIS WEEK'S GNAC ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
MEN
Coleman Nash, Alaska Anchorage
Sophomore • Littleton, Colo.

For the second year in a row, Nash opened the cross country season by winning the Blue & Gold Invite in Fairbanks. Nash covered the 8,000-meter course in 27:17 to score a 35-second victory over teammate Jesus Avalos. It was the fourth career cross country victory for Nash, who led Alaska Anchorage to an 11-point victory in the dual meet over Alaska.

WOMEN
Kendall Kramer, Alaska
Sophomore • Fairbanks, Alaska

Kramer opened the season with the victory at the Blue & Gold Invite on Saturday. She covered the 5,000-meter course in 18:28 to win by 11 seconds over teammate Rosie Fordham. She won the meet for the second season in a row and led the Nanooks to the victory over Alaska Anchorage with 27 points.

AROUND THE GNAC
ALASKA
• For the second year in a row, Alaska’s women opened the season by picking up the team victory over Alaska Anchorage in the season-opening Blue & Gold Invite on Saturday in Fairbanks.

• The Nanooks won by three points with a team score of 27 points, placing three runners in the top five.

• Sophomore Kendall Kramer was named the GNAC Women’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week for her victory. She covered the 5,000-meter course in a time of 18:28. It marked the second consecutive year that Kramer has won UAF’s home meet.

• Sophomore Rosie Fordham placed second in a time of 18:39 while sophomore Delainey Zock placed fifth in a time of 20:29.

• The Alaska men lost to Alaska Anchorage in the dual, finishing with a total of 23 points. Freshman Josh Baurick led the Nanooks in fifth place, covering the 8,000-meter course in 30:02.

• For the first time in program history, the UAF women received votes in the USTFCCCA Division II Women’s Preseason Poll. They are also ranked ninth in the preseason regional poll.

• The Nanooks and Seawolves will square off again on Saturday, competing in the Seawolf Throwdown meet in Anchorage.

ALASKA ANCHORAGE
• Behind sophomore Coleman Nash’s win, the Alaska Anchorage men downed Alaska in the season-opening Blue & Gold Invite on Saturday in Fairbanks.

• Nash earned GNAC Men’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week accolades after he won in a time of 27:17 over 8,000 meters. He was 35 seconds faster than his second-place teammate, senior Jesus Avalos, who finished in 27:52. It is the second year in a row that Nash has won the Blue & Gold Invite and is already the fourth race victory of his collegiate career.

• Freshman Zach Christensen rounded out the UAA runners in the top five, placing fourth in a time of 29:24.

• The Alaska Anchorage women placed second with a score of 30 points, three points greater than Alaska. Freshman Elle Stevens led the way, placing third in a time of 20:23 over 5,000 meters. Stevens was just ahead of senior Alfin Nyamasyo, who was third and also credited with a time of 20:23.

• The Seawolves and Nanooks will square off again on Saturday, but this time on the shores of Cook Inlet. The Seawolf Throwdown will take place at Kincaid Park in Anchorage.

CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• Central Washington does not open the 2022 season until Saturday, Sept. 10, when it hosts the CWU Apple Ridge Run in Yakima.

• The Wildcats enter the season ranked No. 5 in the GNAC Men’s Cross Country Preseason Coaches Poll and eighth in the women’s preseason ranking.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• Montana State Billings does not start the 2022 season until Friday, Sept. 9, when it races in the Gage McSpadden Memorial in Spearfish, South Dakota.

• The Yellowjackets are picked sixth in the GNAC Men’s Cross Country Preseason Poll while the women are slotted 10th.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• Northwest Nazarene will open its season this Friday, competing in the College of Southern Idaho Invite in Twin Falls, Idaho.

• Both the Nighthawks’ men and women are picked eighth in the GNAC Cross Country Preseason Coaches Poll.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• Saint Martin’s will not start its 2022 season until Friday, Sept. 16, at the Ash Creek Invitational in Monmouth, Oregon.

• The Saints’ women are picked to finish sixth in the GNAC Cross Country Preseason Coaches Poll. The men are picked to finish seventh.

SEATTLE PACIFIC
• Seattle Pacific will commence its 2022 season on Saturday, competing at the Puget Sound Invitational in Lakewood, Washington.

• The Falcons are picked fifth in the GNAC Women’s Cross Country Preseason Coaches Poll. The SPU men are picked ninth.

SIMON FRASER
• The defending GNAC men’s and women’s champions, Simon Fraser will not start the season until the Ash Creek Invitational on Friday, Sept. 16 in Monmouth, Oregon.

• The SFU women are ranked ninth in the USTFCCCA Division II Preseason Poll, which was released on Tuesday. The team is also ranked No. 1 in the West Region. The SFU men are ranked eighth in the West Region but missed the Division II rankings.

• Both the Simon Fraser men and women are picked to repeat as champions in the GNAC Cross Country Preseason Coaches Poll.

WESTERN OREGON
• Western Oregon will travel down Highway 99W on Friday to open the 2022 season, competing in the Linfield Harrier Classic in McMinnville, Oregon.

• The Wolves are picked third in the GNAC Men’s Cross Country Preseason Coaches Poll. The WOU women are picked fourth.

• The WOU men are ranked ninth in the USTFCCCA West Region Preseason Coaches Poll.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• Western Washington will begin its 2022 season on Saturday, Sept. 10, competing in the CWU Apple Ridge Run in Yakima, Washington.

• Both the Vikings’ men and women enter the season ranked in the USTFCCCA Division II Preseason Poll. The WWU women are ranked 20th while the men are ranked 30th.

• Western Washington men and women are picked second in the GNAC Cross Country Preseason Coaches Poll. The Vikings were runners-up in both conference meet races last year.