Meet Notes (.pdf)
GUNNISON, Colo. – The chance to add more gold-plated hardware to the trophy cases in Paul Wright Gym await the Western State men’s and women’s cross country teams at the 2009 NCAA Division II National Championships Saturday in Evansville, Ind. Both teams depart from Denver Thursday morning and inspect the course Friday before the women start the championships at 11 a.m. MST. The men’s race starts at 12 p.m. MST.
All four of the men’s All-Americans from last season – Iain Donnan, Tyler Pennel, Loren Ahonen and Sean Brown – will look to collect more All-America titles this season. Donnan will be going for his second national team title in additional to his 2005 title in his freshman season.
The last time the national championships were held in Evansville, Ind., in 2004, the men won the national title. It was part of six national championships in a seven-year span for the Mountaineer men’s teams from 1999-2005. A win Saturday would be national title No. 9 for the Western State men.
The women’s team enters as the seventh-ranked team in Division II, an improvement of seven positions compared to five weeks ago. The Mountaineers have never finished lower than eighth at the national championships, since available records dating back to 1986, and have finished on the podium in 17 of the last 18 seasons.
Sarah Lyle, Hillory Davis and Cassandra Ortiz were the all-region performers for Western State two weeks ago and can be expected to lead the women’s team this weekend. All seven women runners improved their six-kilometer times at the regional meet compared to the RMAC Championships two weeks earlier.
For race updates Saturday, make sure to follow the Mountaineer twitter page at
twitter.com/WSCMountaineers.