Sept. 5, 2002

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - The Western Washington University men's and women's cross country teams almost present mirror images as they enter the 2002 season.

Both squads placed second in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championships and were fifth in the NCAA Division II West Regional Championships. Furthermore, both return roughly half of their top seven runners from last year, with the women having four back and the men three.

Perhaps the biggest difference is that the women's squad returns not only its top runner, but the top runner in all of the GNAC.

Sophomore Ashlee Vincent (Bellingham/Squalicum) returns after leading the Vikings in all six races she competed in and winning the GNAC title. Vincent, who was also GNAC Freshman of the Year, was seventh in the regional meet and earned West Region all-star honors.

Senior Lisa Pearl (Kenmore/Inglemoor), the only three-year letter winner on the women's squad, was also an all-GNAC performer. She was in Western's top two three times last year, placing 10th at the GNAC meet and 43rd at regionals. Also returning from the seven who competed at regionals are senior Shannon Ross (Gig Harbor) and sophomore Beth Rosapepe (So., Port Orchard/South Kitsap).

Five other letter winners return for the women - juniors Amanda Hall (Coeur de Alene, ID/Lake City) and Tina Stinson (Renton/Liberty) and sophomores Lexi Baxter (Colville), Kristin Haas (Port Orchard/South Kitsap) and Andrea Ring (Tacoma/Curtis).

The top returnee for the men is junior Kurt Hartmaier (Woodinville/Redmond), who was twice among Western's top three last year and placed 38th at regionals.

Other regional performers returning are seniors Steve deKoker (Maple Valley/Tahoma) and Emil Newhouse (Snohomish). Both are three-year letter winners, as is senior Shawn Miller (Juneau, AK/Juneau-Douglas).

Letter winners Brian Brancheau (Edmonds/Edmonds-Woodway), a junior, and Brandon Whitaker (Marysville/Marysville-Pilchuck), a sophomore, also return, and the Vikings may also get a boost from senior Paul Kezes, a transfer from Western Colorado.

Western opens its 2002 campaign on Sat., Sept. 7, in the Emerald City Invitational at Seattle's Woodland Park.