Saturday, November 22, 2014

BILLINGS, Mont. – Reigning all-American Katelyn Steen of Western Washington won the individual title and Simon Fraser took home the team crown at the 2014 NCAA Division II West Region women’s cross country championships Saturday afternoon at the six kilometer course at Amend Park.

Steen, who won the 2014 Great Northwest Athletic Conference title, crossed the finish line in a time of 21:06.59, almost six seconds ahead of second-place finisher Caroline Barkechir of Cal Baptist.  Last year she finished third in the regional meet and 37th in the national meet.

With Rebecca Bassett and Jennifer Johnson in the Top 10, Simon Fraser finished with 103 points  to capture its first NCAA regional team crown. Bassett was third overall with a time of 21:15.22, and Johnson was eighth at 21:31.94. The Clan will return to the NCAA Division II national meet, set for Dec. 6 at Tom Sawyer Park in Lousiville, Kent., after placing seventh at last year’s nationals in Spokane, Wash.

In second place with 112 points as a team, Chico State (1:50:51.09) also earned a berth to next month’s national meet. Quetta Peinado was the top finisher for the Wildcats, checking in at No. 11 with a time of 21:44.49. Camila Turate (18th, 22:03.52), Alex Burkhart (21st, 22:07.85) and Sadie Gastelum (23rd, 22:08.18) also earned all-region honors for Chico.

Alaska Anchorage finished third as a team with 144 points. The Seawolves, who were the defending champions and had won four of the previous five regional titles, were led by Amy Johnston, who finished fifth overall with a time of 21:22.60. Caroline Kurgat was also an all-region performer for UAA, in 22nd with a time of 22:08.17.

UC San Diego was the No. 4 team with a time of 1:53:11.11 and 171 points, Central Washington was fifth with 180 points, and Western Washington was the sixth-place team and final national qualifier with 185 points and a time of 1:52:17.19.

Dani Eggleston of CWU took 10th place with a time of 21:39.53, and teammates Connie Morgan (21:57.78) and Megan Rogers (21:59.95) were close behind in 13th and 14th, respectively, helping earn the Wildcats their first berth in the NCAA national meet since they won their last regional title in 2000.

Individual qualifiers included Caroline Barkechir of Cal Baptist, who finished second with a time of 21:12.11, Fiona McKenna of Hawaii Pacific who was fourth with 21:22.21, and Staci Foster of Azusa Pacific who was sixth at 21:23.60.

Anna Patti of Seattle Pacific was seventh with a time of 21:31.01, just missing the cut to qualify for nationals as an individual.  The finish, however, did earn her USTFCCCA all-region honors which go to the Top 25 athletes.  

Also earning all-region honors was SFU's Peggy Noel. who placed 20th.  A total of 10 GNAC athletes - three from SFU and three from CWU - earned that award.

NCAA West Regional (Nov. 22 at Billings) - 1. Simon Fraser 103, 2. Chico State 112, 3. Alaska Anchorage 144, 4. UC San Diego 171, 5. Central Washington 180, 6. Western Washington 185, 7. Hawaii Pacific 193, 8. Cal Baptist 196, 9. Azusa Pacific 198, 10. Cal Poly Pomona 222 (12. Seattle Pacific 282, 13. MSU Billings 306, 16. Western Oregon 437, 21. Alaska  573, 22. Northwest Nazarene 575, 24. Saint Martin's 725).   Individuals (GNAC All-Region) - 1. Katelyn Steen, WWU, 21:06.59; 3. Rebecca Bassett, SFU, 21:15.22; 5. Amy Johnston, UAA, 21:22.60; 7. Anna Patti, SPU, 21:31.01; 8. Jennifer Johnson, SFU, 21:31.94; 10. Dani Eggleston, CWU, 21:39.53; 13. Connie Morgan, CWU, 21:57.78; 14. Megan Rogers, CWU, 21:59.95; 20. Peggy Noel, SFU, 22:06.43; 23. Caroline Kurgat, UAA, 22:08.17.