Viking men third, women fifth at 4th annual GNAC Championship :: Seattle Pacific sweeps individual titles as Tim LeCount takes men's crown, Karen Dixon claims women's title

Seattle Pacific sweeps individual titles as Tim LeCount takes men's crown, Karen Dixon claims women's title

Oct. 23, 2004

The Western Washington University men's cross country team could not defend its title, finishing third, and the Viking women placed fifth Saturday at the 4th annual Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championships held at the Beau Pre Golf Course.

Seattle Pacific (71 points) and Central Washington (67) won the men's and women's team titles, respectively. It was the first GNAC titles for both squads.

Seattle Pacific swept the individual titles. Tim LeCount won the men's 8-kilometer race in a course record time of 25:58. The Falcons' Karen Dickson cruised to victory in the women's race, covering the 6-kilometer layout in 22:28.02, almost 38 seconds faster than Western's Laura Trevellyan (Jr., Vashon), who was runner-up in 23:05.87. Trevellyan finished third last year.

The Western men, who had 95 points, were led by Sam Brancheau (So., Edmonds/Edmonds-Woodway) (26:45) and Keever Henry (Fr., Kelso) (26:49), who finished eighth and 10th, respectively. Henry was named GNAC Freshman of the Year. They also earn all-conference honors by placing among the top 10.

"The guys ran a good race," said Western head coach Pee Wee Halsell. "We're a good young team and things are really starting to come around."

Also scoring for Western were Mike Stewart (Fr., Edmonds/Edmonds-Woodway), who placed 17th (26:56), Logan Senrud (So., Bigfork, MT) 24th (27:12), and Ty Schepler (Fr., Walla Walla) 40th (27:47).

Alaska Anchorage finished second (80), just ahead of the Vikings. Western Oregon placed fourth (97) and Humboldt State rounded out the top five (116).

"We beat some teams ranked ahead of us and that was our goal," said Halsell, whose Vikings are ranked No.8 in the NCAA II West Regional Poll.

Trevellyan landed all-conference honors for the second consecutive year as Western placed fifth (123). Seattle Pacific was second (74), Alaska Anchorage third (98) and Seattle U. fourth (104).

"Laura had a great race and she's really closing the gap on Dickson," said Halsell. "Our team ran great considering the injuries and illnesses we've had this season."

Western's Sara Thon (Fr., Bellingham/Squalicum) was 20th (24:52), Molly DePasqual (Jr. Jackson, WY/Jackson Hole) 29th (25:22), Rachael Bates (So., Coeur d'Alene, ID/Lake City) 35th (25:35) and Katie Wittrock (Fr., Tacoma/Bellarmine Prep) 40th (25:45).

The Vikings host the NCAA II West Regional on Nov. 6 at Lake Padden Park.

"We're really looking forward to regionals," said Halsell.

Oct. 23 (Sat.) at 4th annual GNAC Championships - McKinleyville, Calif. (Beau Pre Golf Course)

MEN

TEAM RESULTS - 1. Seattle Pacific 71, 2. Alaska Anchorage 80, 3.Western 95, 4. Western Oregon 97, 5. Humboldt State 116, 6. Northwest Nazarene 121, 7. Central Washington 161, 8. Saint Martin's 187, 9. Seattle U. 218, 10. Alaska Fairbanks 263.

WWU INDIVIDUAL RESULTS (8K) - 8. Sam Brancheau 26:45, 10. Keever Henry 26:49, 17. Mike Stewart 26:55, 24. Logan Senrud 27:12, 40. Ty Schepler 27:47, 49. Peter Ellis 28:11, 56. Matt Crabtree 28:24, 65. Casey Barten 29:05.

TOP 10 - 1. Tim LeCount SPU 25:58, 2. Brian Kostock HSU 26:11, 3. Ethan Barrons WOU 26:12, 4. Jasper Peach HSU 26:27, 5. Andy Prentice SMC 26:39, 6. Sam Scotchmer CWU 26:40, 7. Bjorn Bostrom SPU 26:42, 8. Sam Brancheau WWU 26:45, 9. Chase Wells WOU 26:48, 10. Keever Henry 26:49..

WOMEN

TEAM RESULTS - 1. Central Washington.67, 2. Seattle Pacific 74, 3. Alaska Ancorage 98, 4. Seattle U. 104, 5. Western 123, 6. Humboldt State 130, 7. Western Oregon 151, 8. Saint Martin's 203, 9. Northwest Nazarene 220, 10. Alaska Fairbanks 265.

WWU INDIVIDUAL RESULTS (6K) - 2. Laura Trevellyan 23:05.87, 20. Sara Thon 24:52.15, 29. Molly DePasqual 25:22.40, 35. Rachael Bates 25:35.55, 40. Katie Wittrock 25:45.29, 42. Beth Rosapepe 25:48.98, 43. Kristen Haas 25:49.98, 44. Stephanie Haydon 25:53.09, 48. Katrina Schwerdtfeger 26:08.47, 53. Nikki D'Amico 26:12.91.

TOP 10 - 1. Karen Dickson SPU 22:28.02, 2. Laura Trevellyan WWU 23:05.87, 3. Kelly Fullerton SU 23:26.54, 4. Brandy Anderson CWU 23:49.22, 5. Mandy Kaempf UAA 23:54.00, 6. Alana Garcia SU 23:54.28, 7. Karen Rohde SPU 23:57.08, 8. Becky Knox SPU 24:03.55, 9. Stephanie Stine CWU 24:13.43, 10. Nicole Campbell HSU 24:16.98.

McKINLEYVILLE, Calif. - Seattle Pacific and Central Washington won the men's and women's team titles Saturday in the fourth annual Great Northwest Athletic Conference cross country championships at Beau Pre Golf Course in McKinleyville, Calif.

It was the first GNAC team titles for both the Falcon men and the Wildcat women. Seattle Pacific finished eighth in last year's men's race and hadn't finished higher than seventh in any of the three previous championships. Central, which last won a team title in the 2000 PacWest championships, finished third a year ago.

Seattle Pacific swept the individual titles. Tim LeCount won the men's 8,000 meter race in a course record time of 25:58. The previous record was 26:05 by Humboldt State's Chris Parmer in 1992. Brian Kostock of Humboldt State finished second in a time of 26:11.

SPU's Karen Dickson cruised to an easy victory in the women's race, covering the 6,000 meter layout in a time of 22:28.02, almost 38 seconds faster than runner Laura Trevellyan of Western Washington who was clocked in a time of 23:05.87. Trevellyan finished third a year ago.

LeCount and Dickson were selected the meet's Outstanding Performers. Also earning special awards were Keever Henry of Western Washington, Doug Gibson of Seattle Pacific, Karen Rohde of Seattle Pacific and Megan McDrew of Humboldt State.

Henry finished 10th in the men's race in a time of 26:49 to earn Freshman-of-the-Year honors, while Gibson was selected the men's Newcomer-of-the-Year. He placed 25th in a time of 27:13.

Rohde, who finished seventh in a time of 23:57.08, won women's Freshman-of-the-Year award, while McDrew placed 14th in a time of 24:30.89 to earn women's Newcomer-of-the-Year honors.

The top 10 individual placers in each race earn all-conference honors. Seattle Pacific, Western Oregon, Humboldt State and Western Washington each placed two runners in the Top 10 in the men's race, while Saint Martin's and Central Washington each had one. Alaska Anchorage finished second overall despite failing to placing anyone in the Top 10.

Repeat all-conference selections from last year included Andy Prentice of Saint Martin's and Chase Wells of Western Oregon, who finished fifth (26:39) and ninth (26:45), respectively.

Seattle Pacific, which finished seven points in back of CWU in the women's team race, placed three runners in the Top 10. Central Washington and Seattle University each had two in the Top 10, while Western Washington, Alaska Anchorage and Humboldt State all had one all-conference award winner.

Trevellyan was one of three repeat all-conference runners from last year. Other repeaters from last year's Top 10 included Mandy Kaempf of Alaska Anchorage, who finished fifth (23:54.00) and Nicole Campbell of Humboldt State, who placed 10th (24:16.98).

Oct. 23 (Sat.) at 4th annual GNAC Championships - McKinleyville, Calif. (Beau Pre Golf Course)

MEN

TEAM RESULTS - 1. Seattle Pacific 71, 2. Alaska Anchorage 80, 3. Western 95, 4. Western Oregon 97, 5. Humboldt State 116, 6. Northwest Nazarene 121, 7. Central Washington 161, 8. Saint Martin's 187, 9. Seattle U. 218, 10. Alaska Fairbanks 263.

WOMEN

TEAM RESULTS - 1. Central Washington 67, 2. Seattle Pacific 74, 3. Alaska Ancorage 98, 4. Seattle U. 104, 5. Western 123, 6. Humboldt State 130, 7. Western Oregon 151, 8. Saint Martin's 203, 9. Northwest Nazarene 220, 10. Alaska Fairbanks 265.

WWU INDIVIDUAL RESULTS (6K) - 2. Laura Trevellyan 23:05.87, 20. Sara Thon 24:52.15, 29. Molly DePasqual 25:22.40, 35. Rachel Bates 25:35.55, 40. Katie Wittrock 25:45.29, 42. Beth Rosapepe 25:48.98, 43. Kristen Haas 25:49.98, 44. Stephanie Haydon 25:53.09, 48. Katrina Schwerdtfeger 26:08.47, 53. Nikki D'Amico 26:12.91.