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Cross Country teams sets historic first in qualifying for NCAAs By: Nov 7, 2005 CHINO, Calif. (Nov. 5) –Fueled by a program-best five all-region performances, the Seawolves earned a return to Chino in two weeks for the national championships. The University of Alaska Anchorage men's and women’s cross country teams both placed third at today’s NCAA West Regional, clinching berths to the 2005 NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships beginning Nov. 18. The national championship races will be held on the same Prado Park course as the regional meet.
UAA’s accomplishment marks the first time in the history of the GNAC that a school has qualified both its men’s and women’s squads for Nationals in the same season. The Seawolves also hold the distinction of being the only league school to qualify for the NCAA Championships multiple times – men (2001, 2002), women (2004).
The Seawolf men, ranked No. 14 nationally, secured the program’s third trip in five years to Nationals by scoring 106 points, finishing 11 shy of host Cal Poly Pomona (97). Second-ranked Chico State ran away with the team title by placing all five of its runners in the top 10 to finish with just 23 points.
UAA’s women edged Great Northwest Athletic Conference rival Seattle Pacific by five points to secure their second consecutive trip to NCAAs, scoring 129 points. Chico State made it a sweep of the team crowns by winning the women’s event with 42 points. UC San Diego placed second with 62.
Freshman David Kiplagat was UAA’s top overall finisher, placing eighth in the men’s 10K with a time of 32:55.30. The top freshman finisher in the field of 107, Kiplagat was one of three Seawolf men to earn all-region accolades.
Junior Mandy Kaempf powered the women’s efforts with a fourth-place finish, running to a time of 22:22.70 on the 6K course. Kaempf, who defeated both 2005 GNAC champion Pavla Havlova of UAF and league runner-up Meredith Crane of SPU, claimed her second straight all-region honor.
Junior Aaron Dickson and senior Leif Olson each garnered all-region honors by placing 13th (33:14.60) and 15th (33:24.30), respectively. The results were career bests for the duo at the regional meet. Also posting a meet-best performance was junior Drew Dickson, who placed 24th overall in 33:53.00.
Junior Benjamin Sonntag was the fifth Seawolf to cross the finish line, placing 51st in 35:01.80. UAA’s only other runner, sophomore Stig Yngve, placed 55th (35:07.30).
Senior Stacy Edwards earned her second-career all-region honor by placing 13th in the women’s race with a time of 22:55.90. Laura Carr was the second freshman to finish in the field of 146, placing a solid 26th in 23:41.10.
Also scoring points for the Seawolf women were junior Davya Baker, who placed 38th (24:00.40) and junior Danielle Pratt, who finished 48th(24:16.70). Other participants for UAA were sophomore Kaley Strachan(66th, 24:47.40) and junior Mary Krusen (72nd, 25:07.70).
Patrick Boivin of Chico State claimed the men’s individual title with a winning time of 31:23.60, while Miriam Hodgins of UC San Diego won the women’s title in 21:59.80.
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