Wednesday, September 28, 2022

ANOTHER RACE, ANOTHER HIGH FINISH FOR NASH: He is only a sophomore, but Alaska Anchorage’s Coleman Nash has a reputation for running at the front of the pack.

That was the case once again at the WWU Bill Roe Classic on Saturday in Ferndale, Washington. Nash placed second in the men’s 8,000-meter race in a time of 24:25.8. He was the top collegiate finisher (behind a 23:34.8 time run by Tom Anderson of Club Northwest) and was 12 seconds ahead of Western Washington sophomore Kevin McDermott. The performance earned Nash selection as the GNAC Men’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week for the third time this season.

It is the first time that Nash has not finished first this season, taking top honors in a pair of dual meets with Alaska to start the season. In his 2021 freshman season, Nash did not lose a race until he placed second at the GNAC Championships.

NO PLACE LIKE HOME: For Western Washington, the home course was kind as the Vikings took both team titles at the Bill Roe Classic.
The Vikings’ men finished with a score of 43 points, seven points ahead of Simon Fraser. There was a 41-second gap between the top five runners, led by Kevin McDermott’s third-place time of 24:37.1.

The WWU women finished with a score of 53 points, placing 19 points ahead of the Red Leafs. Sophomore Mia Crocker was named the GNAC Women’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week after she placed fourth with a time of 22:02.1 over 6,000 meters. She was the top collegiate finisher, placing behind three runners from Club Northwest and the Bellingham Distance Project.

2022 GNAC RACE WINNERS
MEN
Coleman Nash, UAA (UAF Blue/Gold Race, Aug. 27, 27;17, 8,000m)
Coleman Nash, UAA (Seawolf Throwdown, Sept. 3, 25:22, 8,000m)
Jeret Gillingham, WWU (CWU Apple Ridge Run, Sept. 10, 18:50.9, 6,000m)
Ase Ackerman, MSUB (Gage McSpadden Memorial, Sept. 10, 18:52.2, 6,000m)
Hunter Hutton, WOU (Ash Creek Collegiate, Sept. 16, 17:51.2, 6,000m)

WOMEN
Kendall Kramer, UAF (UAF Blue/Gold Race, Aug. 27, 18:28, 5,000m)
Riley Smith, WOU (Linfield Harrier Classic, Sept. 2, 15:10.5, 4,000m)
Kendall Kramer, UAF (Seawolf Throwdown, Sept. 3, 22:17, 6,000m)
Libby Michael, SPU (Puget Sound Invitational, Sept. 3, 18:58, 5,000m)
Sophie Wright, WWU (CWU Apple Ridge, Sept. 10, 15:23.2, 4,000m)

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

Nash finished second at the WWU Bill Roe Classicon Saturday, covering the 8,000-meter course in a time of 24:25.8. The top collegiate finisher in the race, Nash averaged 4 minutes, 55 seconds per mile and finished 12 seconds ahead of third-place Kevin McDermott on Western Washington. Nash’s victory led the Seawolves to a sixth-place team finish.

Also Nominated: Charlie Dannatt (Simon Fraser), Kevin McDermott (Western Washington).

WOMEN
Mia Crocker, Western Washington
Sophomore • Sammamish, Wash.

Crocker was the top collegiate finisher at the WWU Bill Roe Classic on Saturday. She placed fourth, covering the 6,000-meter course in a time of 22:02.1 and was 18 seconds ahead of the next collegiate competitor. She averaged 5 minutes, 55 seconds per mile. Crocker led the Vikings to the team title with a score of 53 points.

Also Nominated: Grace Chalk (Simon Fraser).

AROUND THE GNAC
ALASKA
• Alaska will not race again until taking part in the Yellowjacket/Battlin’ Bears Open on Friday, Oct. 7, in Billings, Montana.

• Alaska captured the women’s race and took second in the men’s race at the Seawolf Throwdown on Sept. 3 in Anchorage. The UAF women won with a score of 23 points, nine points ahead of Alaska Anchorage. The Nanooks had the top three finishers in the race.

• Sophomore Kendall Kramer won her second race in as many weeks, covering the 6,000-meter course in a time of 22:17. She averaged 5 minutes, 59 seconds per mile. Sophomore Rosie Fordham was second for the straight week with a time of 22:19.

• Sophomore Naomi Bailey rounded out the UAF top three in her first race of the season, placing third in a time of 22:23.

• The Alaska men lost to Alaska Anchorage, finishing with a total of 23 points. Sophomore Koen Ross was the Nanooks’ top finisher, placing sixth in a time of 28:26 over 8,000 meters.

ALASKA ANCHORAGE
• Racing for the first time in three weeks, Alaska Anchorage ran to a pair of sixth-place finishes at the WWU Bill Roe Classic in Ferndale, Washington.

• Sophomore Coleman Nash was named the GNAC Men’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week for the third time this season after he took second place. He covered the 8,000-meter course in 24:25.8. He was the top collegiate runner in the race and finished 11 seconds ahead of Western Washington’s Kevin McDermott.

• The Alaska Anchorage men finished with a score of 144 points. Junior Michael Zapherson was the Seawolves’ No. 2 finisher, placing 26th in a time of 25:48.1.

• The Seawolves’ women finished with a score of 162 points. Freshman Elle Stevens was the top UAA finisher, placing 21st in a time of 23:04.5 over 6,000 meters. Senior Alfin Nyamasyo was 27th in a time of 23:21.2.

• Alaska Anchorage will not race again until Saturday, Oct. 22, at the Division II Pre-Nationals meet in University Place, Washington.

CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• Central Washington put together a pair of eighth-place team finishes at the WWU Bill Roe Classic in Ferndale. Washington.

• The men finished with a score of 201 points. Junior Shawn Clough was the Wildcats’ top finisher, placing 24th in a time of 25:36.6 over 8,000 meters. Junior Zach Sundt placed 50th in a time of 26:40.

• The CWU women finished with a team score of 205 points. Junior Rosie Melville was the top finisher, placing 45th in a time of 24:15.4 over 6,000 meters. Sophomore Zoie Mastin placed 52nd in a time of 24:42.

• Central Washington is in the midst of three straight weeks of racing. The Wildcats will compete on Saturday at the Whitman Invitational in Walla Walla, Washington.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• Montana State Billings did not race last week. The Yellowjackets return to action on Friday, competing in the Montana Open in Missoula.

• Montana State Billings snared a pair of seventh-place team finishes at the MSU Cross Country Open on Sept. 17 in Bozeman.

• The MSUB men finished with a total of 185 points, 20 points behind sixth-place Montana Tech. Senior Ase Ackerman led the way, placing 14th in a time of 25:36.1 over 8,000 meters.

• The MSUB women scored a total of 197 points, 19 points behind sixth-place Montana Tech. Senior Kailee Stoppel was the Yellowjackets’ top finisher, placing 31st in a time of 18:43 over 5,000 meters.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• Northwest Nazarene posted a pair of fifth-place team finishes at the Idaho State Open on Friday in Pocatello.

• The NNU women finished with a score of 159 points. Freshman Morgan Erler led the way, placing 19th in a time of 24:09.2 over 6,000 meters. Sophomore Olivia Klein was the Nighthawks’ No. 2 finisher, placing 38th in 25:33.4.

• The NNU men finished with a score of 174 points as the Nighthawks fielded their first complete team of the season. Freshman Brody Kemble was the top finisher, placing 27th in a time of 19:54.8 over 6,000 meters. Sophomore Quincy Ellis was the No. 2 runner, placing 49th in a time of 21:14.3.

• Northwest Nazarene will not race again until Friday, Oct. 7, taking part in the Steve T. Reeder Memorial Invite in Logan, Utah.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• Saint Martin’s did not race last week. The Saints return to action on Saturday, taking part in the John Payne Curtis Invitational in nearby University Place, Washington.

• Saint Martin’s opened the 2022 season with a pair of solid performances at the Ash Creek Collegiate on Sept. 16 in Monmouth, Oregon.

• The Saints women placed third with a score of 70 points, just nine points behind defending GNAC champion Simon Fraser.

• Sophomore Cassidy Walchak-Sloan placed fourth in a time of 17:58.9 over 5,000 meters. She was outleaned by Oregon State’s Emily Van Valkenburg for third place (she also finished in 17:58.9) and was the top non-Division I placer in the race.

• Freshman Alauna Carstens opened her career by placing fifth in a time of 18:05.3. Sophomore Sara Sabra placed 11th in a time of 18:24.5.

• The SMU men placed fourth with a score of 115 points. Sophomore Kainalu Pagente led the way, placing 14th in a time of 18:26.7 over 6,000 meters. Junior Isaac Cortes finished 21st in a time of 18:39.

SEATTLE PACIFIC
• Seattle Pacific did not compete last week. The Falcons return to the course on Saturday at the Charles Bowles Willamette Invitational in Salem, Oregon.

• Seattle Pacific posted a second-place women’s finish and a third-place men’s finish at the CWU Apple Ridge Run on Sept. 10 in Yakima.

• The Falcons women scored a total of 45 points, placing two runners in the top 10. A week after her win at the Puget Sound Invitational, senior Libby Michael finished fourth to break up a potential top-five sweep for Western Washington. Michael covered the 4,000-meter course in a time of 15:46.2. Freshman Matise Mulch placed sixth in a time of 16:09.8.

• The SPU men placed fourth with a score of 94 points. Sophomore Jon Owen led the Falcons, placing 22nd in a time of 20:32.8 over 6,000 meters. Junior Brennan LeBlanc finished 25th in a time of 20:54.7.

SIMON FRASER
• Simon Fraser posted a pair of second-place team finishes at the WWU Bill Roe Classic on Saturday in Ferndale, Washington.

• The Red Leafs men were a close second to Western Washington, scoring 50 points to finish seven points behind the Vikings. Three SFU runners placed in the top 10 with a gap of just 25 seconds between the No. 1 and No. 5 runners.

• Sophomore Charlie Dannatt led SFU in his season debut, placing sixth in a time of 24:55.4 over 8,000 meters. Sophomore Scott Arndt was seventh in 24:57.5 while junior Sebastian Brinkman was ninth in 25:00.6.

• The Simon Fraser women finished with a score of 72 points, 19 points behind first-place Western Washington.

• Junior Grace Chalk led the Red Leafs, finishing sixth in a time of 22:20.5 over 6,000 meters. Senior Megan Roxby also placed in the top 10, finishing ninth in a time of 22:33.2. Sophomore Charlotte Prangley rounded out the SFU runners in the top 20, placing 16th in 22:52.9.

• The SFU men earned its first spot on the USTFCCCA Division II Coaches Poll at No. 29. The SFU women dropped 19 spots in this week’s poll to No. 28.

• Simon Fraser will not race this weekend, returning to competition on Friday, Oct. 7 at the San Francisco State Invitational.

WESTERN OREGON
• Western Oregon did not compete last week. The Wolves return to their home course on Friday, hosting the Mike Johnson Classic at the Ash Creek Preserve.

• Running on its home course, Western Oregon placed third in the men’s competition and fourth in the women’s competition at the Ash Creek Collegiate on Sept. 16.

• The men placed three runners in the top 20 to finish with a score of 63 points, 52 points ahead of fourth-place Saint Martin’s.

• Junior Hunter Hutton won the 6,000-meter race in his season debut with a time of 17:51.2. He was eight seconds ahead of second-place Justin Hazell of Division I Portland and averaged 4:47 per mile.

• Sophomore Emmett Klus finished 17th in a time of 18:33.5 while freshman Logan Parker placed 20th in a time of 18:37.7.

• The WOU women compiled a score of 92 points, 22 points behind third-place Saint Martin’s and 40 points ahead of fifth-place Lewis & Clark.

• Freshman Holly Hutton led the Wolves with a ninth-place finish, covering the 5,000-meter course in a time of 18:21.6. Freshman Riley Smith placed 12th in a time of 18:40.2 and freshman Ali Clifton placed 19th in a time of 19:05.5.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• There was no place like home for Western Washington, which captured both the men’s and women’s team titles at its own Bill Roe Classic on Saturday in Ferndale, Washington.

• The WWU women won with a team score of 53 points, 19 points ahead of Simon Fraser.

• Sophomore Mia Crocker was named the GNAC Women’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week with her fourth-place finish, covering the 6,000-meter course in 22:02.1. She was the top collegiate finisher and was 18 seconds ahead of the next GNAC competitor.

• Freshman Ashley Reeck placed 11th in a time of 22:44.1. Freshman Alanna Parker was 12th in 22:46.8 and sophomore Meaera Shannon was close behind in 13th in a time of 22:46.8.

• The WWU men won with a score of 43 points, seven points ahead of second-place Simon Fraser. There was a 41-second gap between the top five.

• Sophomore Kevin McDermott was the Vikings’ top finisher, placing third in a time of 24:37.1 over 8,000 meters. Junior Andrew Oslin was right behind in fourth in a time of 24:41.6. Sophomore Jeret Gillingham rounded out the top 10, placing 10th in 25:03.3.

• The WWU women climbed one spot in the USTFCCCA Division II Coaches Poll to No. 19. The WWU men climbed five spots to No. 24.

• Western Washington is right back in action on Saturday, competing in the John Payne Curtis Invitational in University Place, Washington.