The No. 8-ranked UAA men’s team registered its fifth league title in nine years with 41 points, downing No. 11 Western Washington (56 points) and No. 23 Western Oregon (67 points). On the women’s side, the No. 4 Seawolves tallied 27 points to defend their 2009 crown, outdistancing No. 8 WWU (69 points) and WOU (108 points).
“Obviously, it is a very special day for us,” said head coach Michael Friess, “The men’s team was competing against two other nationally-ranked teams, as the women’s team faced a tough Western Washington squad.”
Cheseto, a native of Kapenguria, Kenya, became the first male to win three consecutive individual titles, besting his own course record from 2008 (24:30.27) with a new time of 23 minutes, 55.20 seconds in the 8K race. Cheseto, who was named the GNAC’s Male Cross Country Athlete of the Year, earned his 10th career victory – the second-most in GNAC history among male athletes – and remained undefeated this season in five races.
Sophomore Micah Chelimo (Kapkoi, Kenya) recorded his second all-conference honor and fourth second-place effort of the season with a time of 24:26.70, while sophomore Jake Parisien, who missed the 2009 season, returned to the Seawolves in full force with a seventh-place showing and second all-conference honor. Parisien, from Palmer, was clocked at 25:09.50.
Also scoring for the UAA men’s team was junior transfer Yonatan Yilma in 14th place with a time of 25:40.00 – earning him the GNAC’s Male Newcomer of the Year – and freshman William Ritekwiang in 17th place with a time of 25:43.60.
On the women’s side, sophomore Miriam Kipng’eno (Eldoret, Kenya) and junior Ruth Keino (Kapcheno, Kenya) have yet to finish lower than third all season and the conference meet was no different. Kipng’eno notched her second all-conference honor after completing the 6K race in second place with a time of 21 minutes, nine seconds, falling to Western Washington’s Sarah Porter (21:04) by five seconds. Keino received her third all-conference award with a third-place showing at 21:26.
Also gaining all-conference honors was junior Shoshana Keegan and senior Hallidie Wilt, who finished fifth and sixth, respectively. Keegan recorded a time of 22:24, while Wilt followed three seconds later at 22:27. The final scorer for UAA was freshman Susan Bick, who just missed the top 10, finishing in 11th place with a time of 22:56.
“Going into the meet we set our goals on sweeping and felt that anything less would be a defeat,” said Friess, “We accomplished what we had set to do.”
With a combined seven all-conference awards, the Seawolves claimed the first-ever sweep at the conference meet by any team. The men’s team has also recorded league titles in 1997, 2002, 2005 and 2008, while the women’s only other title came last season.
Also representing the UAA men’s team was at the meet was senior Paul Rottich (18th, 25:44.50), sophomore Thomas Hill (31st, 26:44.00), junior Michael Adams (33rd, 26:48.20) and sophomore Brad Truax (69th, 29:03.20). The women’s team received performances by senior Emma Bohman (15th, 23:10), freshman Ivy O’Guinn (17th, 23:16) and sophomores Katie Krehlik (18th, 23:20), Jaime Bronga (34th, 24:03) and Mary Chepkoech (49th, 24:53).
The Seawolves will return to action on Nov. 20 for the NCAA Div. II West Regional Championships in Bellingham, Wash.
“Now we have to get to the National meet, and that’s what the regional meet is for,” said Friess.
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