Nov. 19, 2011
Complete Results
SPOKANE, Wash. - Western Washington University used a tight pack to place 10th in the men's division, its fourth straight top 10 finish, and the Viking women used much the same strategy to finish 12th at the 2011 NCAA Division II Cross Country National Championships held Saturday in snowy, 29-degree weather at the Plantes Ferry Sports Complex.
The WWU men, making a fifth straight national appearance, improved 10 spots over their No.22 national ranking in the latest United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches/NCAA II Top 25. The Viking women, who had placed among the top 10 in each of the last three years, improved two spots as they entered the meet rated No.14.
Western State CO easily won the men's championship in the 24-team field with a 27-69 advantage over runner-up and top-ranked Adams State CO. Augustana SD edged No.1-rated Western State, 75-79, for the women's title among 24 teams.
"It was a total team effort this year for both squads," said Western coach Pee Wee Halsell (25th year). "They had to do it as a team as we didn't have the front runners like in seasons past."
"Every kid went in there, put it on the line, and did the absolute best possible."
Two transfers, Dak Riek (So., Everett/Mariner) from CC of Spokane and Tyler Cannon (Jr., Kennewick/Kamiakin) from Brigham Young, led the Viking men. Riek, who was battling bronchitis, placed 50th, covering the 10-kilometer course in 32:37.5, and Cannon was 54th with a 32:41.6 clocking.
"Dak had been sick all week and for him to do that was amazing," Halsell said.
Two weeks ago at the West Regional held on the same course, Cannon had a similar illness and finished 47th.
Nick Abraham (Sr., Sammamish/Skyline) placed 60th for WWU in 32:50.5 and Eric Brill (Sr., Kent/Kentwood), competing in his fourth nationals, was 72nd in 33:08.3.
Tanner Boyd (Jr., Camas) was the Vikings' other scorer, finishing 88th in 33:31.1, with Kyle Johnson (Sr., Nine Mile Falls/Lakeside) 89th in 33:34.4 and Dylan Peterson (So., Seattle/Garfield) 131st in 34:30.4.
Freshman Katelyn Steen (Sammamish/Eastlake) led the Viking women, placing 58th with a time of 23:09.0 over the six-kilometer course.
WWU's Lauren Breihof (Sr., Vancouver/Mountain View) was 60th in 23:14.9 and Rachael Johnson (Sr., Yakima/West Valley) was 76th in 23:33.8. It was the fourth nationals for Breihof, who earned All-America honors as a sophomore in 2009 by placing 31st.
Mary Rogers (Jr., Spokane/Shadle Park) finished 97th in 23:52.7, followed by Haley O'Connor (Fr., Sammamish/Eastlake), 99th in 23:56.1; Makhaila Thornton (Fr., Bend, OR/Mountain View), 117th in 24:14.1; and Sierra Brisky (Sr., Acme/Mount Baker), 127th in 24:30.1.
Western State had the top two individual men's finishers, Ryan Haebe edging out teammate Tyler Pennel, 30:45.1 to 30:48.1. In the women's race, Neely Spence of Shippensburg successfully defended her title with a 20:53.8 clocking. Adams State's Alicia Nelson was second in 21:07.4.
WWU's men placed ninth in 2010, fourth in 2009, 10th in 2008 and 11th in 2007. The Viking women were 10th in 2010, eighth in 2009 and 10th in 2008.
NCAA Division II National Championship Results
Men's Team Scores - 1. Western State (Colo.) 27, 2. Adams State 69, 3. Grand Valley State 100, 4. Chico State 110, 5. Colorado Mines 134, 6. Augustana 210, 7. Southern Indiana 267, 8. Alaska Anchorage 290, 9. Metro State 318, 10. Western Washington 324, 11. East Central (Okla). 325, 12. Edinboro 342, 13. Ashland 364, 14. Western Oregon 374, 15. Eastern New Mexico 388, 16. Lock Haven 393, 17. Shippensburg 413, 18. Queen's (NC) 432, 19. Colorado - Colorado Springs 464, UMass Lowell 476, 21. Stonehill 609, 22. Mount Olive 678, 23. Alabama - Huntsville 680, 24. Tampa 702.
Individuals (Top 10) - 1. Ryan Haebe, Western State, 30:45.1; 2. Tyler Pennel, Western State, 30:48.1; 3. Isaac Chavez, Chico State, 30:56.1; 4. Matt Bond, Adams State, 31:00.8; 5. David Goodman, Western State, 31:05.1; 6. Tabor Stevens, Adams State, 31:06.4; 7. Gabriel Proctor, Western State, 31:11.7; 8. Barak Watson, Northwest Nazarene, 31:19.5; 9. Tyler Emmorey, Grand Valley State, 31:25.0; 10. Alex Monroe, Lock Haven, 31:30.0.
Women's Team Scores - 1. Augustana, SD, 75; 2. Western State 79; 3. Grand Valley 104; 4. Adams State 120; 5. Mary 131; 6. Alaska Anchorage 152; 7. Chico State 213; 8. Ferris State 220; 9. Shippensburg 256; 10. Queens, N.C. 372; 11. Midwestern State 373; 12. Western Washington 390; 13. Saginaw Valley 399; 14. Bloomsburg 406; 15. Pittsburg State 422; 16. Tampa 429; 17. Alaska Fairbanks 436; 18. Ashland 467; 19. Stonehill 488; 20. Lock Haven 508; 21. Minnesota Duluth 519; 22. Bentley 545; 23. West Florida 736; 24. Montevallo 756.
Individuals (Top 10) - 1. Neely Spence, Shippensburg, 20:53.8; 2. Alicia Nelson, Adams State, 21:07.4; 3. Lauren Kleppin, Western State, 21:16.6; 4. Kate Griewisch, Lenoir-Rhyne, 21:26.8; 5. Kelly Lamb, Adams State, 21:28.0; 6. Dakota Wolf, Mary, 21:28.5; 7. Christina Muir, Ferris State, 21:28.5; 8. Brenae Edwards, Mansfield, 21:32.6; 9. Ruth Keino, UAA, 21:35.0; 10. Katie Spratford, Shippensburg, 21:35.3.
The Western Washington University men's and women's cross country teams braved snowy conditions and sub-freezing temperatures to turn in string performances at Division II Nationals Saturday, Nov. 19, at the Plantes Ferry Sports Complex in Spokane.
Making its fifth straight national appearance the Western men's team placed 10th overall, while the Vikings' women's team finished in 12th place.
The men's 10th place finished marks the fourth year in a row the men's squad finished in the top 10.
"It was a total team effort this year for both squads," Western coach Pee Wee Halsell said in a press release. "They had to do it as a team as we didn't have the front runners like seasons past. Every kid went in there, put it on the line and did the absolute best possible."
Western State College won the men's championship in the 24-team field with a 27-69 advantage over top-ranked Adams State College. Augustana SD beat top-ranked Western State 75-79 for the women's title among 24 teams.
Dak Riek and Tyler Cannon paced the Viking men. Riek, who was battling bronchitis, placed 50th and finished the 10-kilometer course in a time of 32 minutes, 37.5 seconds. Cannon finished in 54th place in a time of 32:41.6.
"Dak had been sick all week and for him to do that was amazing," Halsell said.
Nick Abraham finished in 60th place for WWU in a time of 32:50.5 and Eric Brill, competing in his fourth national meet, took 72nd place in a time of 33:08.3
Viking freshman Katelyn Steen led the Western women, earning a 58th place finish in a time of 23:09.0 over the women's six-kilometer course.
WWU's Lauren Breihof finished in 60th with a time of 23:14.1, Rachael Johnson was 76th with a time of 23:33.8 and Mary Rogers finished in 97th place with a time of 23:52.7.
