Competing in freezing weather conditions, both the Western Washington University men's and women's teams placed 10th and four Vikings earned All-America honors at the 2008 NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships on Saturday at the Cooper's Lake Campground course (host Slippery Rock University).
"It's an awesome feeling being here and having two top 10 teams," said Western coach Pee Wee Halsell (22nd year). "It's great to be back where we were in the early 90s with both teams at nationals and doing well, showing the rest of the country what we're all about."
The Viking women, making their first NCAA II national appearance and ranked No.24 in the final United State Cross Country Coaches Association Top 25, finished with 301 points in the 24-team field. They were led by Sarah Porter (So., Hockinson), who placed 13th to earn All-America recognition, covering the 6-kilometer course in 21:59 with the temperature hovering around 29 degrees.
Lauren Briehof (Fr., Vancouver/Mountain View) was 53rd in 23:05, Courtney Olsen (Jr., Bellingham/Squalicum) 73rd in 23:24, Rachael Johnson (So., Yakima/West Valley) 115th in 23:58, Phoebe Hartnett (Fr., San Diego, CA/Patrick Henry) 120th in 24:02, Danielle Slaughter (Jr., Spokane/Shadle Park) 144th in 24:31 and McKinley Williams (So., Federal Way/Todd Beamer) 149th in 24:37.
"The second half of their race was the key for them," Halsell said. "They got into solid spots, but then they moved up very well. Everybody was moving during that portion of the race."
The Western men, ranked 12th nationally, had a 263 point total, just nine points behind ninth-place Colorado Mines. It was the Vikings' best NCAA national finish. They placed 11th last year and 13th in 2003.
"They went out and attacked a steep hill in the first 500 meters and established position," Halsell said. "It was hard to move up after that, but they were able to hold on because it was a tough course and that was to our advantage."
Leading the Vikings over the 10-kilomoter distance the trio of Jordan Welling (So., Burlington/Burlington-Edison), Blake Medhaug (So., Bothell) and Bennett Grimes (So., Pocatello, ID/Century), who all received All-America accolades.
Welling placed 29th in 32:02, Medhaug 36th in 32:11 and Grimes 41st in 32:18. It was the second straight All-America honor for Grimes, who placed 43rd last year.
Western's Eric Brill (Fr., Kent/Kentwood) was 97th in 33:14, Yonas Berhe (Fr., Seattle/Roosevelt) 111th in 33:26, Tahoma Khalsa (Jr., Shoreline/Shorecrest) 131st in 33:46, and Sam Bedell (Jr., Reno, NV) 147th in 34:15.
Adams State CO won both team titles. Seattle Pacific's Jessica Pixler dominated the women's race, posting a winning time of 20:59, 28 seconds ahead of the next competitor. Chico State's Scott Bauhs was the men's individual champion in 30:23.
It was the first time since joining the NCAA in 1998 that the Vikings had qualified both their squads for nationals in the same season.
The last time the Viking women went to nationals was as an NAIA member in 1996, and the last time both Western squads had run at nationals in the same season was in 1994.
Nov. 22, 2008, at NCAA II National Championships - Slippery Rock, Penn. (Cooper's Lake Campground)
TEAM RESULTS - 1. Adams State 67, 2. Western State 88, 3. Chico State 120, 4. Abilene Christian 128, 5. Grand Valley State 190, 6. Harding 198, 7. Queens 224, 8. Minnesota State Mankato 230, 9. Colorado Mines 254, 10. Western Washington 263, 11. Alaska Anchorage 288, 12. Wayne State 308, 13. UMass Lowell 338, 14. Metropolitan State 348, 15. Southern Indiana 353, 16. Edinboro 397, 17. Pittsburg State 467, 17. UC-Colorado Springs 467, 19. Stonehill 473, 19. Lock Haven 473, 21. Ashland 503, 22. Missouri Southern 601, 23. Alabama-Huntsville 623, 24. Columbus State 705.
WWU INDIVIDUAL RESULTS (10K) - 29. Jordan Welling 32:02, 36. Blake Medhaug 32:11, 41. Bennett Grimes 32:18, 97. Eric Brill 33:14, 111. Yonas Berhe 33:26, 131. Tahoma Khalsa 33:46, 147. Sam Bedell 34:15.
TOP 10 - 1. Scott Bauhs, Chico State, 30:23; 2. Aaron Braun, Adams State, 30:36; 3. Michael Crouch, Queens, 30:56; 4. Chris Clark, California U. 31:12; 5. Iain Donovan, Western State, 31:14; 6. Brian Medigovich, Adams State, 31:24; 7. Daniel Kirwa, Harding, 31:30; 8. Jeff Weiss, Slippery Rock, 31:32; 9. Marko Cheseto, Alaska Anchorage, 31:32; 10. James Krajsa, 31:34.
TEAM RESULTS - 1. Adams State 79, 2. Grand Valley State 102, 3. Western State 183, 4. Seattle Pacific 194, 5. Augustana 203, 6. Shippensburg 212, 7. Chico State 241, 8. Minnesota-Duluth 249, 9. Alaska Anchorage 266, 10. Western Washington 301, 11. Slippery Rock 313, 12. Wayne State 323, 13. Cal State L.A. 324, 14. Tampa 334, 15. Midwestern State 335, 16. Missouri Southern 342, 17. Ferris State 381, 18. Pittsburg State 402, 19. Metropolitan State 441, 20. Harding 505, 21. Stonehill 582, 22. UMass Lowell 590, 23. Lees-McRae 685, 24. Augusta State 685.
WWU INDIVIDUAL RESULTS (6K) - 13. Sarah Porter 21:59, 53. Lauren Breihof 23:05, 73. Courtney Olsen 23:24, 115. Rachael Johnson 23:58, 120. Phoebe Hartnett 24:02, 144. Danielle Slaughter 24:31, 149. McKinley Williams 24:37.
TOP 10 - 1. Jessica Pixler, Seattle Pacific, 20:59; 2. Neely Spence, Shippensburg, 21:27; 3. Shannon Payne, UC-Colorado Springs, 21:29; 4. Heather Wood, Adams State, 21:37; 5. Jessica Monson, Wisconsin-Parkside, 21:38; 6. Rachelle Malette, Wayne State, 21:44; 7. Morgan Place, Minnesota-Duluth, 21:49; 8. Vivien Wadeck, Cal State L.A., 21:55; 9. Kimi Shank, Missouri Southern, 21:57; 10. Mary Ballinger, Southern Indiana, 21:58.