Scoreboard

Seawolf men claim GNAC crown; women finish second

TRACK & FIELD UAA Media Relations

Seawolf men claim GNAC crown; women finish second

YAKIMA, Wash. (Oct. 25) ? The Alaska Anchorage men swept the top three spots and placed four runners in the top six to claim their third league title, while the UAA women earned runner-up status here at Saturday's eighth annual Great Northwest Athletic Conference Cross Country Championships.

Sophomore Marko Cheseto blazed to the men's individual crown in a dominating time of 24 minutes, 30 seconds over the 8-kilometer Apple Ridge Run course. The Kenyan was followed by Seawolf freshmen Jake Parisien (25:07) and Alfred Kangogo (25:09) in second and third, while 2006 GNAC individual champ and senior David Kiplagat finished fifth in 25:20.

Sophomore Cory Pena was the final Seawolf scorer across the finish line (22nd, 26:34), helping nationally 7th-ranked UAA outdistance 13th-ranked Western Washington 34-53 for the team title. UAA, which won the 2002 and 2005 GNAC titles, now joins WWU as the league's only three-time winners in men's cross country. It is the fourth overall league title for the UAA men, along with the Pacific West Conference crown in 1997.

In the women's 6-K race, junior Laura Carr was the first Seawolf across the line in fourth place (22:10), followed by senior Elizabeth Chepkosgei in fifth (22:19), sophomore Hallidie Wilt in eighth (22:56) and freshman Ruth Jeptoo in 10th (23:03).

The 19th-ranked Seawolves were barely edged for the team title by 17th-ranked Seattle Pacific, 48-52. It was the UAA women's third GNAC runner-up finish in the last three seasons (2005, 2006).

All eight Seawolves who finished in the top 10 in their respective races earned All-GNAC honors for their efforts, while Cheseto claimed the men's Newcomer of the Year and Parisien the men's Freshman of the Year awards.

“The men through the first four ran exceptionally well,” said UAA head coach Michael Friess. “Probably on the men's and women's side this was the most competitive race in the eight years of GNAC history. I think we competed well. The thing we need to improve on for Regionals is getting our fifth runners back on track on both the men's and women's sides.

“It was a tough course and conditions were a little bit windy and cold, but overall they ran solidly. We're certainly happy to win a conference championship on the men's side, and the women can hold their heads high and realize that they can improve their performance at the regional meet.”

The Seawolves are now off until the NCAA Division II West Regionals on Nov. 8 in San Diego, Calif., which will determine the teams and individuals who qualify for the NCAA Championships. The top three men's teams in the West and the top five women's teams will make Nationals, slated for Nov. 22 in Slippery Rock, Pa.


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Players Mentioned

Laura Carr

Laura Carr

DIS
5' 2"
Junior
Elizabeth Chepkosgei

Elizabeth Chepkosgei

DIS
5' 4"
Sophomore
David Kiplagat

David Kiplagat

DIS
5' 10"
Junior
Hallidie Wilt

Hallidie Wilt

DIS
5' 6"
Freshman
Marko Cheseto

Marko Cheseto

DIS
Sophomore
Ruth Keino

Ruth Keino

DIS
Freshman
Jake Parisien

Jake Parisien

DIS
Freshman
Cory Pena

Cory Pena

M
6' 0"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Laura Carr

Laura Carr

5' 2"
Junior
DIS
Elizabeth Chepkosgei

Elizabeth Chepkosgei

5' 4"
Sophomore
DIS
David Kiplagat

David Kiplagat

5' 10"
Junior
DIS
Hallidie Wilt

Hallidie Wilt

5' 6"
Freshman
DIS
Marko Cheseto

Marko Cheseto

Sophomore
DIS
Ruth Keino

Ruth Keino

Freshman
DIS
Jake Parisien

Jake Parisien

Freshman
DIS
Cory Pena

Cory Pena

6' 0"
Freshman
M