Nov. 6, 2002

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - The Western Washington University men's and women's cross country teams head into Saturday's NCAA Division II West Regional at Woodward Park in Fresno, Calif., seeking both individual and team berths in the NCAA II National Championships two weeks later.

The top three teams in both the men's and the women's regional meet earn national berths. The top two individuals from non-qualifying teams also gain national berths, and any individual finishing in the top five is also guaranteed a national spot.

The 10-kilometer men's race begins at 9:30 a.m., with the six-kilometer women's event following at 10:45 a.m.

Western has two individuals who have excellent shots at advancing to nationals in Paul Kezes (Jr., Bellingham/Sehome) and Ashlee Vincent (So., Bellingham/Squalicum), who were the individual champions in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championships on Oct. 26, and both the men's and women's squads figure to be in contention for team berths.

Kezes has won all three races he's entered this year, including going just two seconds off the Lincoln Park course record against a mainly NCAA Division I field in the Invitational Division of the Sundodger Classic at Seattle. Vincent has been Western's top women's performer all five times she has competed, winning three times and never being worse than fourth. She placed seventh at the West Regional last year, earning all-region honors.

"Paul Kezes should be right in the running for the title, but this is one of the toughest fields he'll run against, maybe even tougher than the Division I guys he faced at the Sundodger in September. Ashlee will be right in the mix of things. She has an outside shot at winning it, and she's very capable of a top five finish, which is a very impressive task in this region." Head Coach Pee Wee Halsell

"Paul Kezes should be right in the running for the title, but this is one of the toughest fields he'll run against, maybe even tougher than the Division I guys he faced at the Sundodger in September," said Western coach Pee Wee Halsell. "Ashlee will be right in the mix of things. She has an outside shot at winning it, and she's very capable of a top five finish, which is a very impressive task in this region."

Also in the men's field for Western are Brian Brancheau (Jr., Edmonds/Edmonds-Woodway), Jon Carwin (Jr., Kirkland/Lake Washington), Matt Crabtree (Fr., Lynden), Kurt Hartmaier (Jr., Woodinville/Redmond), Emil Newhouse (Sr., Snohomish) and Brandon Whitaker (So., Marysville/Marysville-Pilchuck).

Newhouse, a three-year letter winner, has been Western's top finisher twice and placed 17th at the GNAC meet, one spot behind Hartmaier.

Joining Vincent for the women are Molly DePasqual (Fr., Jackson, WY/Jackson Hole), Kristin Haas (So., Port Orchard/South Kitsap), Carla Mingione (Fr., Sammamish/Issaquah), Lisa Pearl (Sr., Kenmore/Inglemoor), Tina Stinson (Jr., Renton/Liberty) and Laura Trevellyan (Fr., Vashon).

Trevellyan was 13th at the GNAC meet to earn Freshman of the Year honors and was Western's top finisher in two races.

"Both of our teams have a shot at qualifying," said Halsell. "We could be anywhere from third to sixth, so we need to run well to make it."

UC Davis is the defending champion in both the men's and women's team competitions, but the Aggies are ranked No.2 in both behind Chico State in the NCAA II Coaches' West Region rankings. Western's women are ranked No.7 and the Viking men No.8.