Thursday, October 14, 2021

THE LAST BIG ONES BEFORE CONFERENCE: There’s nothing like big meets to get ready for the GNAC Championships. Between a couple of big meets in Bellingham and Illinois, seven of the conference’s 10 teams had a last chance to blow out the cylinders before the trek to Lacey.

Six teams met at Sudden Valley Golf Course in Bellingham for the Bill Roe Classic. The only regular-season meet to feature races at both NCAA championship distances (10,000 meters for men, 6,000 meters for women), Simon Fraser and host Western Washington showed that they will be ready to compete for the trophies.

Simon Fraser’s women were the runaway winners. The team’s 41 points were 51 ahead of the next Division II team in the meet, Chico State. All five SFU runners placed in the top-15, led by Olivia Willett’s second-place time of 21:48.6.

In the men’s race, Western Washington and Simon Fraser engaged in an exceptional battle. The Vikings took home second place with 63 points while SFU was two points behind with 65 points. Simon Fraser’s Aaron Ahl led all Division II runners, placing third in a time of 31:31.9. Western Washington placed four runners in the top 20, led by Mac Frank’s ninth-place finish in 31:54.3.

The Alaska women showed that they are for real. The Nanooks finished in a tie for fourth place with Western Washington with 110 points and won the tiebreaker, 3-2. Alaska had three runners in the top 10, led by Rosie Fordham’s fourth-place finish in 22:06.6.

Western Washington grouped well with the five scoring runners within 40 seconds of each other. Brittany Aquino led the way, placing 16th in 22:55.

Western Oregon tested itself back east at the Lewis Crossover in Romeoville, Illinois. The men placed 13th with a score of 348 points while the women placed 16th with 432 points.

For the Wolves, it was all about the individual efforts. Junior Luz Garcia placed 11th in the 258-runner field, covering the 6,000 meters in 22:30.5. The men were led by a 35th-place finish by Miguel Villar in 25:39.2.

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)
Ase Ackerman, MSUB (Gage McSpadden Memorial, Sept. 17, 19:21.5, 6,000m)
Tyler Shea, NNU (Ken Garland Classic, Sept. 24, 25:36, 8,000m)
Carson Jessop, MSUB (Providence Invitational, Oct. 1, 29:12, 8,000m)
Coleman Nash, UAA (Chambers Bay Collegiate Open, Oct. 2, 25:01.9, 8,000m)

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)
Julia LaMar, NNU (EOU Invitational, Sept. 17, 19:22.9, 5,000m)
Annika Esvelt, SPU (PLU Invitational, Sept. 18, 22:15.7, 6,000m)
Luz Garcia, WOU (Mike Johnson Classic, Sept. 24, 21:46.4, 6,000m)
Annika Esvelt, SPU (Chambers Bay Collegiate Open, Oct. 2, 18:32.9, 6,000m)

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

Ahl placed third at the Bill Roe Classic, covering the 10,000-meter course in a time of 31:31.9. He averaged 5:04 per mile and was the top GNAC finisher in the meet, leading SFU to a third-place team finish with 65 points.

Ase Ackerman, Montana State Billings
Junior • Glendive, Mont.

Ackerman placed third at Friday’s Yellowjacket/Battlin’ Bear Open, covering the 8,000-meter course in 25:10.3. He averaged 5:04 per mile and led MSUB to a second-place team finish with 91 points.

Also Nominated: Trevor Allen (Central Washington), Miguel Villar (Western Oregon), Mac Franks (Western Washington).

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

Willett placed second at the Bill Roe Classic on Saturday, covering the 6,000-meter course in a time of 21:48.6. She was nine seconds behind winner Amelia Keyser-Gibson and led SFU to the team title with a score of 41 points.

Also Nominated: Kailee Stoppel (Montana State Billings), Luz Garcia (Western Oregon), Brittany Aquino (Western Washington).

AROUND THE GNAC
ALASKA
• Alaska closed up the regular season with a fourth-place women’s finish and a 10th-place men’s team finish at the Bill Roe Classic in Bellingham, Washington.

• The UAF women scored a total of 110 points, tying with Western Washington and earning fourth via tiebreaker, 3-2.

• The Nanooks placed an impressive three runners in the top 10. Freshman Rosie Fordham led the way, placing fourth in a time of 22:06.6 over 6,000 meters. It was her third top-five finish of the season. Freshman Kendall Kramer placed sixth in 22:19.3 and freshman Naomi Bailey was seventh in 22:22.3.

• The UAF men tied with the Run 26 club with 289 points with Run 26 winning the tiebreaker, 3-2. Senior Zephan Ozturgut was the Nanooks’ top finisher, placing 85th with a time of 25:39.5 over 10,000 meters. Freshman Koen Ross placed 97th in 36:23.1.

• For the first time since 2012, the Alaska women have earned a post in the USTFCCCA West Region Rankings, coming in at No. 8.

• Alaska will race next at the GNAC Cross Country Championships on Saturday, October 23 in Lacey, Washington.

ALASKA ANCHORAGE
• Alaska Anchorage did not race last week. The Seawolves will next compete at the GNAC Championships on October 23.

• Alaska Anchorage scored the men’s team victory and placed second in the women’s competition at the Chambers Bay Collegiate Open on October 2.

• The Seawolves’ men finished with a score of 56 points and placed three runners in the top-10. Freshman Coleman Nash won with a time of 25:01.9 over 8,000 meters. It was Nash’s third race victory of the season.

• Nash was 15 seconds ahead of junior Jacob Moos, who placed second in a time of 25:16.1. Senior and 2019 GNAC champion Felix Kemboi finished fifth in 25:49, knocking over two minutes off of his time at the Seawolf Throwdown in early September.

• The Alaska Anchorage women scored 80 points to finish 26 points behind first-place Northwest (Wash.). Senior Nancy Jeptoo was UAA’s lone top-10 finisher, placing second in 18:43.7 over 5,000 meters. Sophomore Bailey Roe placed 14th in a time of 19:58.3.

CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• Central Washington finished sixth in the men’s race and ninth in the women’s race at the Bill Roe Classic on Saturday.

• The CWU men placed third among GNAC teams in the meet with 175 points, 16 points ahead of Northwest Nazarene. Senior Trevor Allen led the way, placing 34th with a time of 33:07.6 over 10,000 meters.

• Senior Rajesh Gill had the Wildcats’ other top-50 finish, placing 45th in a time of 33:41.9.

• Central Washington’s women tallied a score of 246 points. Junior Kay Lester was the Wildcats’ top finisher, placing 50th in a time of 24:19.4 over 6,000 meters. Junior Madison Child was 52nd in a time of 24:38.4.

• Central Washington is one of two GNAC teams scheduled to compete this weekend. The Wildcats will travel to Lewiston, Idaho to take part in the Inland Empire Championships.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• Montana State Billings had a good day on its home course, placing second in the men’s competition and fifth in the women’s at the Yellowjacket/Battlin’ Bear Open on Friday.

• The MSUB men placed second with 91 points, placing behind Division I Montana and 14 points ahead of Black Hills State.

• Junior Ase Ackerman shared GNAC Men’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week honors, placing third in a time of 25:10.3 over 8,000 meters. It is Ackerman’s fourth top-five finish in as many races this season.

• Senior Carson Jessop had the Yellowjackets’ other top-five finish, placing fourth in a time of 25:29.6 for his third top-10 placing of the season.

• The MSUB women finished with a total of 98 points, just seven points behind fourth-place Rocky Mountain. Junior Kailee Stoppel led the way, placing sixth in a time of 18:50.6 over 5,000 meters. It was Stoppel’s third top-10 finish of the year.

• Freshman Kendra Woods placed 19th in 20:00.5 while junior Ally Whitmer placed 20th in a time of 20:07.5.

• Next for Montana State Billings will be the GNAC Championships on Saturday, October 23 in Lacey, Washington.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• Northwest Nazarene closed the regular season with a seventh-place men’s finish and an eighth-place women’s finish at Saturday’s Bill Roe Classic.

• The NNU men finished with a team score of 191 points. Freshman Dylan Tidwell led the way with an 11th-place finish, covering the 10,000-meter course in 32:07.2. It was Tidwell’s third top-15 finish of the season.

• Junior Tyler Shea was the only other top-50 finishers for the Nighthawks, placing 32nd in a time of 33:00.7.

• The Nighthawks’ women scored a total of 192 points, 16 points behind seventh-place Seattle Pacific. Sophomores Kalen Belton and Julia LaMar finished 26th and 27th, respectively. Belton turned in a time of 23:24 while LaMar crossed the line in 23:26.7.

• Northwest Nazarene will compete next at the GNAC Championships on Saturday, October 23 in Lacey.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• Saint Martin’s concluded its regular season at the Chambers Bay Collegiate Open on October 3. The Saints will host the GNAC Cross Country Championships on Saturday, October 23.

• Saint Martin’s placed third in both the men’s and women’s races at the Chambers Bay Collegiate Open on Saturday.

• The Saints’ women finished with a score of 80 points, just two points behind second-place Alaska Anchorage and 23 points ahead of Seattle Pacific.

• Freshman Sara Sabra led the way with a seventh-place finish, covering the 5,000-meter course in a time of 19:12.3. Freshman Cassidy Walchak-Sloan placed 10th in a time of 19:25.6. In all, Saint Martin’s placed four runners in the top 20.

• The Saint Martin’s men finished with a score of 96 points, 36 points behind second-place Northwest (Wash.) and four points ahead of Spokane CC.

• Junior Jack Farrell led the Saints, placing eighth with a personal-best time of 25:54.9 over 8,000 meters. Freshman Kainalu Pagente placed 15th in a time of 26:27.1, which was also a personal best.

SEATTLE PACIFIC
• Seattle Pacific’s women ran to a seventh-place finish as the Falcons closed the regular season at the Bill Roe Classic on Saturday.

• The Falcons finished with a team score of 176 points, 16 points ahead of Northwest Nazarene as the team continues to struggle through injury challenges.

• Sophomore Annika Esvelt was the top SPU runner, placing 19th in a time of 23:08.6 over 6,000 meters. It was the first time this season that Esvelt did not finish a meet in the top three.

• Freshman Nicki Yorges and junior Kelsey Washenberger finished back-to-back in 43rd and 44th place, respectively. Yorges clocked in at 23:58.9 while Washenberger crossed in 24:00.3.

• Senior Colin Boutin was the only SPU men’s runner to compete at Sudden Valley, placing 57th in a time of 31:43.9 over 10,000 meters.

• Seattle Pacific races next at the GNAC Cross Country Championships on Saturday, October 23 in Lacey, Washington.

SIMON FRASER
• Simon Fraser completed an undefeated women’s regular season while the men placed third to lead GNAC teams at Saturday’s Bill Roe Classic.

• The women won their third meet of the season with a score of 41 points, 41 points ahead of runner-up Club Northwest and 51 points ahead of Chico State. The SFU men scored 65 points, finishing two points behind second-place Western Washington.

• Junior Olivia Willett was named the GNAC Women’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week after she finished second with a time of 21:48.6 over 6,000 meters. She was nine seconds back of winner Amelia Keyser-Gibson. It was Willett’s third top-two finish of the season.

• The SFU women realized a 1:04 gap between the top-five runners, all of whom placed in the top 15. Senior Alison Andrews-Paul was the other top-10 finisher for SFU, placing 10th in 22:29.9.

• Junior Aaron Ahl shared GNAC Men’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week honors with Montana State Billings’ Ase Ackerman. Ahl placed third as he covered the 10,000-meter course in 31:31.9. It was Ahl’s third top-three finish of the season.

• Sophomore Charlie Dannatt provided SFU’s other top-10 finish, placing seventh in 31:50.1.

• The Simon Fraser women entered the top-10 of the USTFCCCA Division II Coaches Poll for the second time this season at No. 9. The SFU men dropped five spots to No. 22.

• Simon Fraser competes next at the GNAC Championships on Saturday, October 23.

WESTERN OREGON
• Western Oregon held its own in one of the largest invitationals in the country Saturday, taking part in the Lewis Invitational in Romeoville, Illinois.

• The WOU men placed 13th with a score of 351 points. The Wolves were just two points behind West Region rival Cal State San Marcos. The Western Oregon women placed 16th with a score of 434 points.

• Junior Luz Garcia led all WOU runners with her 11th-place finish, covering the 6,000-meter course in 22:30.5. She was the top finisher among West Region athletes in her first meet of the season away from Ash Creek Preserve.

• Junior Caitlin Heldt added a top-30 finish, placing 27th in a time of 22:59.9.

• Junior Miguel Villar led the Western Oregon men as he placed 35th in a time of 25:39.2 over 8,000 meters. Junior Bailey Smith knocked over a minute off of his season-best time, placing 46th in 25:51.4.

• For the first time this season, Western Oregon’s men earned a spot in the USTFCCCA West Region Rankings at No. 10.

• One of two GNAC teams scheduled to compete this weekend, Western Oregon will take part in the L&C Invite on Saturday at McIver State Park in Estacada, Oregon.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• Western Washington rolled to a second-place men’s team finish while the women placed fifth as the Vikings hosted the Bill Roe Classic on Saturday in Bellingham.

• The WWU men placed four runners in the top-20 to finish with 63 points, two points ahead of Simon Fraser and 32 points behind Chico State.

• Junior Mac Franks led the Vikings once again, placing ninth in a time of 31:54.3 over 10,000 meters. He was the third GNAC runner to cross the line as he posted his third top-10 finish of the season.

• Freshman Jeret Gillingham placed 13th in a time of 32:10.9 while freshman Kevin McDermott placed 14th in 32:11.1. Junior Alec Ritter rounded out the top four for WWU with his 18th-place finish in 32:20.3.

• The Western Washington women tied with Alaska with a score of 110 points with the Nanooks winning the tiebreaker for fourth, 3-2. The Vikings were just eight points behind third-place Chico State.

• Senior Brittany Aquino was the top WWU women’s runner, placing 16th in a time of 22:55 over 6,000 meters. Freshman Ila Davis was 21st in 23:11.8 while junior Brook Wedin was 22nd in 23:12.

• The Western Washington men picked up their first top-25 ranking in the USTFCCCA Division II Poll since the preseason, coming in this week at No. 21. The Vikings are No. 2 in the West Region rankings while the women moved up to No. 7.

• Western Washington races next at the GNAC Cross Country Championships, Saturday, October 23 in Lacey, Washington.