Oct. 21, 2006

Complete Results

LACEY, Wash. - The Western Washington University men's cross country team placed seven runners in the top 13 places to claim the team championship at the 6th annual Great Northwest Athletic Conference Cross Country Championships on Saturday on the Saint Martin's University campus course.

The Viking men, rated No.13 in the latest United States Cross Country Coaches Top 25, won with 35 points, 18 ahead of No.15 Alaska Anchorage. Seattle Pacific was third with 86.

Western placed fourth in the women's race, with Seattle Pacific claiming the team title for the third time in four years.

Sophomore Anthony Tomsich (So., Fairbanks, AK/West Valley) led Western's men by placing third, completing the 8-kilometer course in 25:06.57.

Joining Tomish in earning all-conference honors by placing in the top 10 were three Vikings who finished 6-7-8 - Chad Portwood (Sr., Cheney) (25:18.98), Keever Henry (Jr., Kelso) (25:26.63) and Cale McCulloch (R-Fr., Snohomish) (25:29.75). McCulloch was also Freshman of the Year.

"The men ran a phenomenal race," said Western coach Pee Wee Halsell, whose men's team won its first conference title since 2003. "We had a few drop off, but other people picked it up for them. It was an impressive performance."

Keith Lemay (Jr., Lynden/Lynden Christian) was 11th in 25:33.66, Bul Nyuop (Jr., Lacey/North Thurston) placed 13th in 25:37.34, and Sam Brancheau (Sr., Edmonds/Edmonds-Woodway) finished 14th in 25:41.08. In all, Western had nine runners in the first 21 spots, and from one-to-nine, they finished less than 51 seconds apart.

David Kipligat of Alaska Anchorage won the race in 24:28.27 to earn GNAC Outstanding Athlete of the Year honors. Sam Scotchmer of Central Washington was second in 24:49.85. Central's Trevor Kulvi was Newcomer of the Year, placing 28th in 26:19.56.

In the women's race, Ashley McDougall (So., Redmond) was the top Viking, finishing 17th and completing the 6-kilometer event in 23:00.35. She was one of four Vikings in the top 25. McKinley Williams (Fr., Federal Way/Todd Beamer) was 20th in 23:17.65, Danielle Slaughter (Fr., Spokane/Shadle Park) placed 22nd in 23:21.48, and Molly DePasqual (Sr., Jackson, WY/Jackson Hole) finished 23rd in 23:23.16.

Seattle Pacific won the women's title for the third time in four years, having six runners in the top 12 for 34 points. Alaska Anchorage was second with 44, followed by Central Washington at 93, then Western with 113.

"The women moved up some," said Halsell. "They ran well as a unit and stayed closer together." Seattle Pacific's Jessica Pixler won the race in 21:10.62, earning both Athlete of the Year and Freshman of the Year honors. Mandy Kampf of Alaska Anchorage was second in 21:13.28, and Katie Hummel, the GNAC Newcomer of the Year, placed third in 21:17.18.

Western has a week off before competing in the NCAA Division II West Regional on Nov. 4 at Oroville, Calif. (host Chico State University).

6th Annual Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championships, host Saint Martin's University - Lacey, Wash. (SMU Campus Course), Oct. 21, 2006

GREAT NORTHWEST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS

MEN

TEAM RESULTS (8K) - 1. Western Washington 35, 2. Alaska Anchorage 53, 3. Seattle Pacific 86, 4. Western Oregon 104, 5. Central Washington 117, 6. Saint Martin's 169, 7. Seattle U. 213, 8. Alaska Fairbanks 244, 9. Northwest Nazarene 245.

WWU INDIVIDUAL RESULTS - 3. Anthony Tomish 25:06.57, 6. Chad Portwood 25:12.48, 7. Keever Henry 25:26.63, 8. Cale McCullogh 25:29.75, 11. Keith Lemay 25:33.66, 12. Bul Nyuop 25:37.34, 13. Sam Brancheau 25:41.08, 19. Greg Kubitz 26:56.55, 21. Logan Senrud 25:57.44, 38. Casey Barten 26:43.80.

TOP TEN - 1. David Kipligat, Alaska Anchorage, 24:28.27; 2. Sam Scotchmer, Central Washington, 24:49.85, 3. Anthony Tomish, Western Washington, 25:06.57; 4. John Riak, Saint Martin's 25:07.77; 5. Aaron Dickson, Alaska Anchorage, 25:12.48; 6. Chad Portwood, Western Washington, 25:12.48; 7. Keever Henry, Western Washington, 25:26.63; 8. Cale McCullogh, Western Washington, 25:29.75; 9. Bjorn Bostrom, Seattle Pacific, 25:30.15; 10. Brent Knight, Alaska Anchorage, 25:33.38.

WOMEN

TEAM RESULTS (6K) - 1. Seattle Pacific 34, 2. Alaska Anchorage 44, 3. Central Washington 93, 4. Western Washington 113, 5. Alaska Fairbanks 127, 6. Western Oregon 131, 7. Saint Martin's 195, 8. Northwest Nazarene 203, 9. Seattle U. 252.

WWU INDIVIDUAL RESULTS - 17. Ashley McDougall 23:00.55, 20. McKinley Williams 23:17.65, 22. Danielle Slaughter 23:21.48, 23. Molly DePasqual 23:23.16, 37. Marissa Harshman 24:01.05, 40. Allison Graham 24:13.77, 42. Keely Kaligis 24:25.69, 48. Nicole D'Amico 24:36.04, 56. Emily Mosich 24:59.54, 65. Catherine McDonald 26:00.95.

TOP TEN - 1. Jessica Pixler, Seattle Pacific, 21:10.62; 2. Mandy Kampf, Alaska Anchorage, 21:13.28, 3. Katie Hummel, Central Washington, 21:17.18; 4. Rachel Bailey, Central Washington, 21:38.37, 5. Elizabeth Chepkosgei, Alaska Anchorage 21:49.71; 6. Mary Moriarty, Seattle Pacific, 22:03.34; 7. Karin Rohde, Seattle Pacific, 22:03.34; 8. Laura Carr, Alaska Anchorage, 22:23.60; 9. Jane Larson, Seattle Pacific, 22:26.55; 10. Ashley Puga, Northwest Nazarene, 22:28.21.