Oct. 28, 2006

Willamette Maintains NWC Cross Country Dominance

Men's Results
Women's Results

TACOMA, Wash. - The 2006 Northwest Conference Cross Country Championships took place today at University Golf Course on the Pacific Lutheran University campus, and Willamette extended its dominance with a sweep of both team and individual titles.

This is the sixth straight conference title for the Bearcat men, who scored 40 points. Puget Sound finished second with 58, followed by Linfield with 95, George Fox with 119, Whitworth with 133, Whitman with 138, Lewis & Clark with 182, Pacific with 191 and Pacific Lutheran with 256.

Ian Batch of Willamette won the individual title in a course record time of 24:30.7 on the 8000-meter course. Linfield’s Harrison Wilson was second in a time of 24:45.9, with Kellen Peters of Pacific taking third in 24:54.9. Times were very fast on the flat grassy course. This was the first time since 1983 that the conference meet had at least five runners under the 25-minute mark. Willamette was able to place its top eight among the top 16 runners to wrap up the victory. Trevor Hanlin, Dan Pollard, and Stephen Peacock, all of whom finished in the top eight, led Puget Sound. Hanlin was the Loggers’ top individual runner, placing fourth in a time of 24:56.7.

The women’s race was much closer with Willamette scoring 50 points to edge out Puget Sound with 54. The win was the fifth in a row at conference for the Bearcat women. The battle for third place was very close with only 11 points separating the next four teams. Third place went to Lewis & Clark with 115 points, followed by George Fox in fourth with 118, Whitworth in fifth with 123, and Whitman in six with 126 points. Linfield placed seventh with 155, followed by Pacific Lutheran with 222 and Pacific with 225.

Willamette’s Sarah Zerzan broke not only the course record but also the conference meet record with her winning time of 20:32.7 for the 6000-meter course. Her father, Terry Zerzan, won Northwest Conference men’s individual cross country titles in 1974 and 1977.

Puget Sound’s Emily Timmer was second in a time of 21:25.8, followed by Tamma Carleton of Lewis & Clark College in 21:35.3.

Northwest Conference athletes will compete next at the NCAA West Regional in Chino, Calif., on November 11 in hopes of qualifying for the NCAA Division III national meet on November 18 in West Chester, Ohio.

- NWC -