Nov. 3, 2001
BELLINGHAM, Wash. - UC Davis dominated the men's and women's races at the NCAA Division II West Regional Cross Country Championship, and Hawaii Pacific runners took both individual titles, at Lake Padden Park on Saturday.
In the women's run, UC Davis (44) finished 89 points ahead of runner-up Humboldt State (133); and the Aggie men (27) were 62 points ahead of second-place Chico State (89). The top four teams advanced to the NCAA II National Championship on Nov. 17 at Slippery, Rock, Penn.
It was the fourth straight regional title for the UC Davis men and the fourth crown in five years for the Aggie women, who placed second last year.
Hawaii Pacific's Nina Christensen, a sophomore from Denmark, won her second regional women's title, and the Sea Warriors' Christian Madsen, a junior, took the men's crown. Christensen, who did not compete last year after taking the regional title in 1999, completed the 6-kilometer course in 21:37, 20 seconds ahead of teammate Lisa Blomme. Madsen toured the 10-kilometer distance in 32:07, edging Alaska Anchorage freshman Tobias Schwoerer by three seconds.
The other two women's teams advancing to nationals were third-place Chico State (139) and fourth-place Sonoma State (154). Completing the men's entries were third-place Alaska Anchorage (106) and fourth-place UC-San Diego (124).
UC Davis coaches Sue Williams and Jim Hunt shared region Coach of the Year honors for both the men's and women's divisions, and the individual champions were both voted region Athlete of the Year honors. The Aggies entered the meet with their women ranked No.2 in the country and the men No.3.
"Our pack won it for us today," said Williams of the UC Davis women's victory. "Our No.1 finisher (Heather Gibson, 3rd, 21:58) fell on the course and our other top runner Yvonne Liebig (66th) had an asthma attack which just shut her down. But our No.3, No.4 and No.5 runners saw that happening and just jumped forward and got the team win for us. It was a difficult way to eke out a win, but they were courageous out there."
"And the men were magnificent. We were in a little bit of a wash and were slipping right at the start, but they were able to get a good start out of it and got good position right away, and then just raced to maintain it."
Madsen and Seattle Pacific's Nathanael Castle also go to nationals as the top two men's runners from non-qualifying teams. By virtue of placing among the top five, three women's runners from non-qualifying Hawaii Pacific advance to nationals. They are Christensen and Blomme, who finished 1-2, and Sayuri Kusutani, who was fifth.
Twenty-one teams and 135 individuals competed in the women's run, and 18 teams and 122 individuals in the men's run. The top 15 men's and women's runners earned all-region recognition.
Host Western Washington had a disappointing day, finishing fifth in both races. The Vikings entered the race with their women ranked No.3 regionally and their men fourth.
"The other teams just came in and did it better," said Western coach Pee Wee Halsell. "We had a great season, it's just a little disappointing because we were counting on going to nationals. But we'll be back."
Western had two runners earn all-region honors. Ashlee Vincent (Fr., Bellingham/Squalicum) placed seventh (22:28) in the women's race, and Zach Boteilho (Sr., Camas) was 10th (32:42) in the men's run.
"We went for it, we ran well, it just didn't come together," said Boteilho. "I felt that I had the best race I ever ran today, so I can't argue with that. We're a great team and it's a great region, that's what it came down to."
"We just didn't run the same way we'd been running all season or I think that we would have gone (to nationals)," said Vincent, who had a personal best time. She was the individual champion at the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championship.
Defending regional women's champion Central Washington placed ninth.
