Wednesday, November 23, 2022

PORTLAND, Ore. – Two banner years for Alaska sophomore Naomi Bailey and Simon Fraser sophomore Charlie Dannatt have earned the duo selections as the U.S. Track and Field & Cross Country Coaches Association’s (USTFCCCA) Division II West Region Cross Country Athletes of the Year.

Bailey has finished no worse than third in any race she has competed in this season. She finished second to teammate Kendall Kramer at the GNAC Championships, with both Nanooks crossing the line with hands raised. Bailey was second in 20:37.1 over 6,000 meters with Kramer first in 20:37. Both runners were 32 seconds ahead of the rest of the field.

Bailey won last weekend’s Division II West Regional in Billings in a time of 20:53.08, winning by five seconds over Kramer and leading three UAF runners in the top five. The winner of the Division II Pre-Nationals in October with an 11-second margin of victory, Bailey will be among the favorites when she returns to the Chambers Creek Regional Park course for the Division II Championships on Friday, Dec. 1.

Dannatt became the first Simon Fraser men’s athlete to win the Division II West Regional and the first GNAC runner to do so since 2017, winning in a time of 30:07.5 over 10,000 meters. He was three seconds better than Alaska Anchorage sophomore Coleman Nash, whom Dannatt placed second to at the GNAC Championships.

Dannatt has placed in the top 10 in all five races he has competed in this season, winning the San Francisco State Invitational, placing sixth in the Bill Roe Classic and seventh at the Division II Pre-Nationals. His performance helped lead the Red Leafs to their fourth men’s team invitation to the Division II Championships.