Thursday, September 16, 2021

MAKING THE TRANSFER: The first three weeks of the GNAC cross country season belonged to the freshmen. The fourth week belonged to the transfers.

Newcomers to the conference teams performed well in three meets last week. The biggest impact athletes ran in Friday’s Ash Creek Invitational in Monmouth, Oregon, where junior transfers won both races for the Wolves.

Junior Luz Garcia, a transfer from Cal Poly Pomona, made her debut with a victory as she covered the home 4,000-meter course in 13:59.3. Junior Caitlin Heldt, who was in her first cross country race in the Wolves’ red and black, was second in 15:33.8.

In the men’s race, junior Keanu Daos made it an individual title sweep for Western Oregon. The transfer from Spokane Community College covered the 6,000-meter course in a time of 18:22.1 to finish six seconds ahead of former WOU standout Justin Crosswhite.

Western Washington’s 2019 men’s GNAC title defense was paced by a transfer at Saturday’s CWU Invitational in Ellensburg. Senior Kaleb Korta, who formerly ran for Alaska Anchorage, placed second in the 6,000-meter race in 19:40.

SIMON FRASER MAKES STRONG RETURN: Competing in their first meet since 2019, Simon Fraser Cross Country announced themselves with authority at the San Francisco State Invitational on Friday, going up against several other schools – including Division I competition – and winning the individual men’s and women’s races, women’s team crown and now the GNAC Team of the Week Award.

The highlight was individual race wins for seniors Aaron Ahl, who bested a field of 115 other runners to take the men’s 8K with a time of 24:30.6, and Olivia Willett, who finished first in the 104-woman 6K with a time of 21:57.6. Ahl and Willett took home the GNAC Player of the Week Awards for men’s and women’s cross country.

Depth was also on display, as both the men’s and women’s programs placed five runners in the top-20 in their respective races.
“The athletes were so motivated to succeed and I told them to take advantage of this opportunity to confirm where we should be in the NCAA rankings,” head coach Brit Townsend said. “We really wanted to have early success to give us momentum into the season.”

WINNER’S CIRCLE: The following GNAC athletes have picked up cross country victories during the 2021 season...

MEN
Coleman Nash, UAA (UAF Blue/Gold Race, Aug. 28, 22:53, 6,000m)
Coleman Nash, UAA (Seawolf Throwdown, Sept. 4, 26:18.4, 8,000m)
Kainalu Pagente, SMU (Puget Sound Invitational, Sept. 4, 19:03, 6,000m)
Aaron Ahl, SFU (San Francisco St., Sept. 10, 24:30.6, 8,000m)
Keanu Daos, WOU (Ash Creek Invitational, Sept. 10, 18:22.1, 4,000m)

WOMEN
Kendall Kramer, UAF (UAF Blue/Gold Race, Aug. 28, 18:34, 5,000m)
Naomi Bailey, UAF (Seawolf Throwdown, Sept. 4, 22:37.8, 6,000m)
Sara Sabra, SMU (Puget Sound Invitational, Sept. 4, 15:35, 4,000m)
Olivia Willett, SFU (SF State Invitational, Sept. 10, 21:57.6, 6,000m)
Luz Garcia, WOU (Ash Creek Invitational, Sept. 10, 13:59.3, 4,000m)

THIS WEEK'S GNAC ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
MEN
Aaron Ahl, Simon Fraser
Senior • Calgary, Alta.

Ahl was a nearly eight-second winner in his first cross country meet since 2019. He won Friday’s SF State Invitational in a time of 24:30.6 over 8,000 meters to finish ahead of Chico State’s Brayden McLaughlin. Ahl averaged 4:46 per mile and led SFU to a second-place team finish with 49 points.

Also Nominated: Ty Savely (Central Washington), Keanu Daos (Western Oregon), Kaleb Korta (Western Washington).

WOMEN
Olivia Willett, Simon Fraser
Senior • Coquitlam, B.C.

Willett won the women’s 6,000-meter race at Friday’s SF State Invitational. She covered the course in a time of 21:57.6 to finish two seconds ahead of Concordia Irvine’s Jori Paradis. Willett averaged 5:53 per mile to lead Simon Fraser to the team title with 36 points, 24 points ahead of Chico State.

Also Nominated: Kay Lester (Central Washington), Luz Garcia (Western Oregon), Eugenia Palko (Western Washington).

AROUND THE GNAC
ALASKA
• Alaska did not race last week. The Nanooks return to the course on Friday, September 24, at the Mike Johnson Classic in Monmouth, Oregon.

• Alaska last competed in the Seawolf Throwdown on Saturday, September 4. For the second time this season, Alaska captured the women’s team title with a score of 23 points, 11 better than UAA. The Nanooks’ men placed second with 18 points.

• Freshman Naomi Bailey won the 6,000-meter race in a time of 22:37.8. She was 45 seconds ahead of freshman teammate Rosie Fordham, who finished second for the second straight week.

• Junior Mike Ophoff was the Nanooks’ lead runner in the men’s race, finishing third in a time of 26:42.2. He was the only UAF runner in the top-six.

ALASKA ANCHORAGE
• Alaska Anchorage did not compete last week, The Seawolves do not race again until the Chambers Bay Collegiate Open on Saturday, October 2.

• The Seawolves last competed on Saturday, September 4, capturing the men’s team title and placed second in the women’s race in its own Seawolf Throwdown.

• Freshman Coleman Nash was the winner in the men’s race as he covered the 8,000-meter course in a time of 26:18.4. He was nine seconds faster than junior Jacob Moos, who was second in 26:27.9.

• Senior Nancy Jeptoo led the Seawolves’ women, covering the 6,000-meter distance in a time of 24:334.2 to place third. Junior Alfin Nyamasyo was fifth in a time of 26:00.9.

CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• Central Washington opened the 2021 season by taking fourth in both the men’s and women’s races at its own CWU Invitational on Saturday.

• Originally scheduled to take place at the program’s Apple Ridge course in Yakima, the meet was moved to the CWU campus due to poor air quality.

• The men finished with a score of 94 points. Freshman Ty Savely led the Wildcats, placing 11th in a time of 20:19.8 over the 6,000-meter course. Senior Rajesh Gill placed 18th in 20:33.6 and freshman Shawn Clough was 20th in 20:36.9.

• The CWU women scored 83 points. Junior Kay Lester was the top finisher, placing 10th in a time of 16:34.7 over 4,000 meters. Junior Madison Child placed 15th in a time of 16:57.5 while freshman Kelli Heim placed 18th in 17:02.

• Central Washington is scheduled to compete every weekend leading up to the GNAC Championships on Saturday, October 23. The Wildcats will race on Saturday at the PLU Invitational in Tacoma.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• Montana State Billings does not open its season Friday when the teams compete in the Gage McSpadden Memorial in Spearfish, South Dakota.

• The MSUB men are picked to finish eighth in the GNAC Preseason Coaches Poll. The women are picked to finish 10th.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• Northwest Nazarene will open the 2021 season on Friday, at the Eastern Oregon Invitational in La Grande.

• The NNU men are picked to finish fourth in the GNAC Preseason Coaches Poll.

• The Nighthawks’ women were picked fifth in the GNAC Preseason Poll, receiving one first-place vote. The women are ranked No. 8 in this week’s USTFCCCA West Region Rankings and received votes in the first USTFCCCA National Poll.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• Saint Martin’s did not compete last week. The Saints will not race again until Saturday, September 25, when they host the Ken Garland Classic.

• Saint Martin’s started the 2021 season off in grand style, taking two individual victories and the men’s team title at the Sept. 4 Puget Sound Invitational in Lakewood, Washington.

• The Saints’ men won with a score of 42 points, finishing 15 points ahead of second-place Pacific Lutheran. The SMU women placed second with 44 points.

• Freshman Kainalu Pagente won the 6,000-meter race in a time of 19:05. He was two seconds ahead of second-place Cayan Dibble of Green River Community College. Junior John Farrell took third in a time of 19:12.

• Freshman Sara Sabra took home the women’s title as she covered the 4,000-meter course in a time of 15:35. She was 11 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher, Jasmine Davis of Pierce Community College. Freshman Ali Saucedo was third in a time of 16:09.

SEATTLE PACIFIC
• Seattle Pacific posted a fifth-place men’s team finish while the women ran with an incomplete team at the Ash Creek Invitational on Friday in Monmouth, Oregon.

• The Falcons’ women placed three of their four competing runners in the top-10. Sophomore Annika Esvelt placed third in a time of 14:12.3 over 4,000 meters, 13 seconds behind the winner. Freshman Ellie Rising finished fourth in a time of 14:29.5. Junior Kelsey Washenburger placed seventh in 14:40.2.

• Freshman Nicki Yorges rounded out the roster, placing 16th in a time of 15:06.

• The men placed fifth with a score of 142 points. Senior Colin Boutin led the Falcons with an 11th place finish, covering the 6,000-meter course in 19:07.9. Sophomore Jon Owen placed 30th in a time of 19:38.7.

• The Seattle Pacific women dropped one spot into a tie for 22nd in this week’s USTFCCCA Division II Women’s Poll. The Falcons remain fifth in the USTFCCCA West Region Rankings.

• The Falcons will be right back in action on Saturday, racing at the PLU Invitational in Tacoma.

SIMON FRASER
• After not racing since 2019, Simon Fraser made a statement with a first-place women’s finish and second-place men’s finish at the SF State Invitational in San Francisco.

• The efforts of the two teams earned Simon Fraser selection as the GNAC Team of the Week.

• The SFU women placed all five scoring runners in the top-20 to win with a score of 36 points, 24 points ahead of Chico State. There was a 48-second gap between the No. 1 and No. 5 runners.

• Junior Olivia Willett was named the GNAC Women’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week after she won with a time of 21:57.6 over 6,000 meters. It was Willett’s first collegiate cross country victory.

• Senior Alison Andrews-Paul placed fifth in 22:10.6. Junior Megan Roxby finished seventh in 22:13.6 and sophomore Grace Chalk was one place behind in 22:16.7. Junior Claire Noort rounded out the scoring five, placing 19th in 22:45.6.

• The SFU men placed second with 49 points, 25 points behind champion Chico State. The team placed all five scoring runners in the top-16.

• Junior Aaron Ahl was named the GNAC Men’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week after he won with a time of 24:30.6 over 8,000 meters. It is Ahl’s first collegiate cross country victory and the second all-time individual win for SFU in the program’s GNAC era.

• Sophomore Charlie Dannatt finished eighth with a time of 25:03.4 while freshman Steve Arndt was 11th in 25:20.1. Junior Sebastian Brinkman and sophomore Ephrem Mekonnen placed 16th and 17th, respectively, both recording times of 25:37.8.

• Simon Fraser’s women climbed one spot to No. 10 in this week’s USTFCCCA Division II Poll and remained at No. 2 in the West Region Poll. The SFU emerged at No. 19 in this week’s national poll and No. 3 in the West Region Rankings.

• Simon Fraser does not race again until Friday, September 25, competing at the Mike Johnson Classic in Monmouth, Oregon.

WESTERN OREGON
• Western Oregon opened the home meet schedule in winning fashion, taking both individual titles and a pair of second-place team finishes at Friday’s Ash Creek Invitational.

• The Wolves’ women placed second with a score of 58 points. Junior Luz Garcia, in her first race in a WOU uniform, won with a time of 13:59.3 over 4,000 meters. Junior Caitlin Heldt, in her first cross country race for the Wolves, was second in a time of 14:08.7.

• The WOU men scored 63 points to earn a second-place finish. Junior Keanu Daos made his Western Oregon debut with the victory, covering the 6,000-meter course in a time of 18:22.1. Freshman Tim Rambo also had a strong debut, placing seventh in 19:05.5. Freshman Easton Pomrankey also earned a top-20 finish, placing 14th in 19:18.1.

• Western Oregon will not race again until it hosts the Mike Johnson Classic on Friday, September 25.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• Western Washington made a winning men’s debut and the Vikings’ women placed second at the CWU Invitational on Saturday in Ellensburg, Washington.

• The defending GNAC men’s champions won the meet with a score of 29 points, 36 points ahead of College of Idaho. The Vikings placed all five scoring runners in the top-10 with a 33-second gap between the five.

• Running his first cross country race in a WWU uniform, senior Kaleb Korta placed second in a time of 19:40 over 6,000 meters. It was his first cross country race since running in the 2018 NCAA Division II Championships for Alaska Anchorage.

• Freshman Jeret Gillingham finished fourth in 20:02.2 while junior Mac Franks placed sixth in 20:09.1. Freshman Jared Sands placed eighth in 20:11.2 while freshman Jalen Javurek rounded out the five in ninth place and a time of 20:13.7.

• The Western Washington women scored 51 points to finish second and placed three runners in the top-10.

• Sophomore Eugenia Palko led the Vikings with a fourth-place finish, covering the 4,000-meter course in 15:57. Freshman Sophie Wright placed fifth in 16:06.1 while freshman Mia Crocker was seventh in a time of 16:06.9.

• The Western Washington men are eighth in the USTFCCCA West Region Rankings. The Vikings dropped out of the national poll after being ranked No. 24 in the preseason. The WWU women are ninth in the West Region Rankings.

• Western Washington will not race again until a split-squad weekend at the Roy Griak Invitational on Friday, September 24 and the Ken Garland Classic on Saturday, September 25.