Simon Fraser University won its first Great Northwest team title in the tightest-ever finish in conference cross-country history.
The women’s Clan team edged out five-time defending champion Alaska Anchorage by a single point and third-place Western Washington by two points, garnering 62 total points at the conference championships in Monmouth, Oregon on Saturday.
SFU sophomore Rebecca Bassett placed second in the women’s individual six-kilometre race, while senior transfer Jennifer Johnson was fifth overall.
“I am so proud of the team today,” said Clan coach Brit Townsend in a Clan press release. “The girls came together and ran a superb race.”
Bassett clocked a time of 20:32.08 and Johnson was less than 15 seconds back, both just seconds behind champion Katelyn Steele of Western Washington.
SFU’s other three time contributors all finished among the top-20 runners. Miryam Bassett placed 17th, while Kansas Mackenzie and Peggy Noel were 18th and 20th, respectively.
Emma Chadsey finished in 25th spot, just out of the points, and Brittany Evans was 31st overall in the 86-women field.
The eighth-ranked NCAA Division II Clan will compete in two weeks time at the West Regional meet in search of a top-six placing to the nationals.
The Clan men’s team equaled last year’s finish, placing third overall with 35 points.
Oliver Jorgensen earned his second straight all-conference award, finishing less than a minute behind conference freshman of the year and race winner Henry Cheseto of Alaska Anchorage.
“Oliver did an excellent job today breaking up the Alaska runners,” said Townsend. “Seven of the top-10 men were from Anchorage and Oliver maintained pace with them and was able to finish at the top of the pack in sixth spot.”
Marc-Antoine Rouleau placed 13th, while Cameron Proceviat of Burnaby was 16th. Austin Trapp and Travis Vugteveen rounded out SFU’s point scorers in 20th and 30th place, respectively.
The West regionals will be held in Billings, Montana on Nov. 22.
The top six men’s and women’s teams will move on to the Div. II nationals, which will be held on Dec. 6 in Louisville, Kentucky.
