UAA's streak of regional team titles was snapped, but the Seawolves extended their streak of individual wins Saturday at the sun-splashed NCAA Division II West Region cross-country running meet in Kahuku, Hawaii.
Both the men's and women's teams, which each finished second, qualified for the national championships for the fifth straight season.
Running in temperatures near 80 degrees, both teams finished runner-up to Chico State (Calif.) in a pair of tight races -- Chico's women edged UAA by five points and its men topped UAA by eight points. That halted UAA's streak of three straight women's titles and two straight men's titles.
Still, UAA senior Micah Chelimo racked his second straight West Region crown, covering the 10-kilometer (6.2-mile) race on the Kahuka Golf Course in 31 minutes, 57.35 seconds. Seawolves junior Susan Tanui captured the women's 6-K (3.73 miles) in 21:18.50.
All seven UAA men earned All-Region honors by finishing in the top 25 and six of UAA's seven women achieved All-Region honors.
Both Chelimo and Tanui out-kicked their respective fields, said UAA coach Michael Friess. Chelimo won a second straight title to give UAA four consecutive men's individual winners -- Marko Cheseto won in 2009 and 2010. Tanui's victory gave UAA back-to-back women's champs -- Ruth Keino won last year.
"With Micah, it looked like the easiest win at regionals, though it's never easy,'' Friess said. "He kind of ran with people and then just took off at the end. Susan ran just like Micah.
"There was never a moment with either one where I sensed they were really stressed. It's awesome, especially the way they did it. They are both going to be very competitive at nationals.''
The Division II national meet is Nov. 17 in Joplin, Mo.
The UAA women are ranked No. 5 in the nation and the men are ranked No. 7.
Even though the Seawolves didn't win the team competitions, Friess said he was pleased with the results heading into nationals.
"A, you want to qualify (for nationals), and B, you want to feel like you have an edge to you going into nationals, and I think we accomplished that with both genders,'' Friess said. "I like the position we're in going into the national meet.''
Friess pointed out that Western State of Colorado won the men's national championship last year after finishing second in its region and Augustana of South Dakota won the women's national crown after finishing third in its region.
Chico State's men, which delivered runners in second, third and fourth places, won with 38 points to UAA's 46. Also qualifying for nationals were Western Washington (80 points), San Francisco State (130) and Humboldt State (140).
Chico State's women earned 51 points to UAA's 56. The other three teams to qualify for nationals were Humboldt State (120), Cal State-Stanislaus (154) and Seattle Pacific (157).
On the men's side, UAA senior Alfred Kangogo finished 10th (32:32.35), senior Jake Parisien claimed 12th (32:47.77), sophomore Dylan Anthony earned 13th (32:50.10) and sophomore Isaac Kangogo took 14th (32:51.58). Even UAA's two non-scoring runners, sophomore Kevin Rooke (19th in 33:02.82) and freshman Dominik Notz (25th in 33:18.36), seized All-Region honors.
In the women's race, senior Miriam Kipng'eno finished fourth (21:38.34), junior Ivy O'Guinn was 13th (22:10.49), freshman Sarah Freistone earned 17th (22:17.72) and junior Susan Bick rounded out Seawolves scorers in 24th (22:40.92). Freshman Jaymi Bethea also earned All-Region honors in 25th (22:42.99) and senior Katie Krehlik finished 62th (23:28.84).
Division II West Region
Cross-Country Running Championships
Saturday at Kahuka Golf Course, Hawaii
Men's Results
Team scores -- 1) Chico State 38 points; 2) UAA 46; 3) Western Washington 82; 4) San Francisco State 130; 5) Humboldt State 140; 6) Cal Poly Pomona 203; 7) BYU-Hawaii 230; 8) Western Oregon 232; 9) Montana State-Billings 260; 10) California-San Diego 266; 11) Seattle Pacific 323; 12) Northwest Nazarene 324; 13) Simon Fraser 359; 14) Cal State-Stanislaus 387; 15) Hawaii Pacific 414; 16) UAF 434; 17) Dixie State 471; 18) Central Washington 491.
Individual Top 10 (10 kilometers) -- 1) Micah Chelimo, UAA, 31:57.35; 2) Adrian Sherrod, Chico State, 32:01.39; 3) Alfonso Cisneros, Chico State, 32:05.89; 4) Isaac Chavez, Chico State, 32:06.48; 5) Dak Riek, Western Washington, 32:09.06; 6) Sharles Simon, Grand Canyon, 32:22.63; 7) Ryan Carrell, Cal Poly Pomona, 32:23.13; 8) Austin Huff, Hunboldt State, 32:23.41; 9) Bruk Assefa, San Francisco State, 32:28.15; 10) Alfred Kangogo, UAA, 32:32.35. Other UAA runners -- 12) Jake Parisien, 32:47.77; 13) Dylan Anthony, 32:50.10; 14) Isaac Kangogo, 32:51.58; 19) Kevin Rooke, 33:02.82; 25) Dominik Notz, 33:18.36.
Women's Results
Team scores -- 1) Chico State 51; 2) UAA 56; 3) Humboldt State 120; 4) Cal State-Stanislaus 154; 5) Seattle Pacific 157; 6) Simon Fraser 179; 7) Western Washington 274; 8) Cal Poly Pomona 279; 9) San Francisco State 284; 10) Central Washington 335; 11) Cal State-San Bernardino 381; 12) UC-San Diego 384; 13) Dixie State 387; 14) Northwest Nazarene 390; 15) BYU-Hawaii 412; 16) Cal State-Los Angeles 423; 17) Grand Canyon 425; 18) Montana State-Billings 435; 19) Hawaii Pacific 438; 20) UAF 463.
Individual Top 10 (6 kilometers) -- 1) Susan Tanui, UAA, 21:18.50; 2) Tiffany Dinh, Cal Poly Pomona, 21:25.91; 3) Ayla Granados, Chico State, 21:31.70; 4) Miriam Kipng'eno, UAA, 21:38.34; 5) Bridget Berg, Humboldt State 21:41.78; 6) Jenny Bergren, Academy of Art, 21.51.76; 7) Sara Mikesell, Chico State, 21:53.85; 8) Rachel Young, Dixie State, 21:58.13; 9) Devon Kelsey, Humboldt State, 22:03.17; 10) Lisa Ohberg, Cal State-Los Angeles, 22:04.85. Other UAA runners -- 13) Ivy O'Guinn, 22:10.49; 17) Sarah Freistone, 22:17.72; 24) Susan Bick, 22:40.92; 25) Jaymi Bethea, 22:42.99; 62) Katie Krehlik, 23:28.84.
Anchorage Daily News