Friday, November 9
JEFFERSON GOLF COURSE; SEATTLE, WA
TBA
University of San Francisco
vs
NCAA West Regionals
Eva Krchova and Elena Burkard finished 1-2 at the WCC Championships.
Photo by: EJSportsPix.com
NCAA West Regional Cross Country Championships on Tap for Friday
11/8/2012 8:07:00 AM | Cross Country
USF's women's team eye a top-5 finish and a return to the NCAA Championships
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – USF's men's and women's cross country teams will be competing at the NCAA West Regionals on Friday at Jefferson Park Golf Course in Seattle, Wash., as the Dons join over 30 men's and women's teams vying for spots in the NCAA Championships, to be held on November 17 in Louisville, Ky.
The women's 6,000-meter race gets underway at 12 noon while the men's 10,000-meter contest will start at 1:15 p.m. The West Region is one of nine regional races held on Friday across the country. The first- and second-place teams at every Regional earn automatic advancement to the NCAA Championships on Nov. 17 in Louisville while an additional 13 teams will earn at-large bids
The top four individuals not on a qualifying team that finish in the top-25 will also earn spots in the NCAA Championship field next weekend.
USF's women's team, coming off its fourth straight West Coast Conference championship, will send Eva Krchova, Elena Burkard, Alice Baker, Laura Suur, Chole Trelevan, Maor Tiyouri and Kate Jambortez to Seattle while the men's team is expected to travel Jose Madera, Ganbileg Bor, Steven Garboden, Eric Causey, Gustavo Mena, Jordan Baker and Jarrett Moore.
Krchova was named the WCC's Runner of the Year following her first place finish at the WCC Championships a few weeks ago, where she edged out Burkard for the individual title. Five USF runners finished in the top-11 of the race as the Dons claimed their fourth straight team title with a school-record 28 points.
Head coach Helen Lehman-Winters feels the women's team is hitting its stride at the right time of the year.
"I really feel good about where we are at from a fitness stand point and we are hungry to race," said Lehman-Winters. "We hope we can build off the momentum we gained at our conference championships. You can never underestimate the importance of momentum in our sport."
She also feels the Dons have experience on their side.
"We got to nationals last year so they know it can be done and know how to do it. Experience is definitely going to help us out this weekend but so is talent. We are excited to test out fitness at a higher level against teams that are ranked ahead of us."
Last year, a sixth place finish in regionals was good enough to earn the Dons an at-large berth into the NCAA Championship field. However, Lehman-Winters believes USF has to finish in the top-five on Friday to secure a trip to Louisville.
The west region is stacked, with No. 3 Oregon, No. 4 Arizona, No. 5 Stanford and No. 7 Washington all but assured a spot in nationals. Winters-Lehman looks to UCLA, UC Davis, Cal Poly SLO and UC Santa Barbara as the Dons chief competition for the coveted fifth spot.
"We need to be a top-five team and hope for an at-large berth. We don't have a lot of wins outside of our region so we will be playing the waiting game and keeping an eye on the other regionals.
"The system does work, but you could be a very good team and be left at home, which happened to us two years ago."
The men's squad finished 14th at regionals last year but Lehman-Winters believes this year's team has an excellent chance of having its best-ever program regional finish.
"This is our best men's team ever," said Lehman-Winters. "We have strong leadership at the top with Madera, Bor and Gardoben and our goal all season has been to be at our best at regionals. I'm hoping for a top-10 finish."
The women's 6,000-meter race gets underway at 12 noon while the men's 10,000-meter contest will start at 1:15 p.m. The West Region is one of nine regional races held on Friday across the country. The first- and second-place teams at every Regional earn automatic advancement to the NCAA Championships on Nov. 17 in Louisville while an additional 13 teams will earn at-large bids
The top four individuals not on a qualifying team that finish in the top-25 will also earn spots in the NCAA Championship field next weekend.
USF's women's team, coming off its fourth straight West Coast Conference championship, will send Eva Krchova, Elena Burkard, Alice Baker, Laura Suur, Chole Trelevan, Maor Tiyouri and Kate Jambortez to Seattle while the men's team is expected to travel Jose Madera, Ganbileg Bor, Steven Garboden, Eric Causey, Gustavo Mena, Jordan Baker and Jarrett Moore.
Krchova was named the WCC's Runner of the Year following her first place finish at the WCC Championships a few weeks ago, where she edged out Burkard for the individual title. Five USF runners finished in the top-11 of the race as the Dons claimed their fourth straight team title with a school-record 28 points.
Head coach Helen Lehman-Winters feels the women's team is hitting its stride at the right time of the year.
"I really feel good about where we are at from a fitness stand point and we are hungry to race," said Lehman-Winters. "We hope we can build off the momentum we gained at our conference championships. You can never underestimate the importance of momentum in our sport."
She also feels the Dons have experience on their side.
"We got to nationals last year so they know it can be done and know how to do it. Experience is definitely going to help us out this weekend but so is talent. We are excited to test out fitness at a higher level against teams that are ranked ahead of us."
Last year, a sixth place finish in regionals was good enough to earn the Dons an at-large berth into the NCAA Championship field. However, Lehman-Winters believes USF has to finish in the top-five on Friday to secure a trip to Louisville.
The west region is stacked, with No. 3 Oregon, No. 4 Arizona, No. 5 Stanford and No. 7 Washington all but assured a spot in nationals. Winters-Lehman looks to UCLA, UC Davis, Cal Poly SLO and UC Santa Barbara as the Dons chief competition for the coveted fifth spot.
"We need to be a top-five team and hope for an at-large berth. We don't have a lot of wins outside of our region so we will be playing the waiting game and keeping an eye on the other regionals.
"The system does work, but you could be a very good team and be left at home, which happened to us two years ago."
The men's squad finished 14th at regionals last year but Lehman-Winters believes this year's team has an excellent chance of having its best-ever program regional finish.
"This is our best men's team ever," said Lehman-Winters. "We have strong leadership at the top with Madera, Bor and Gardoben and our goal all season has been to be at our best at regionals. I'm hoping for a top-10 finish."
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