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San Francisco Cross Country Gears up for 2009 Season
Aug. 26, 2009
(San Francisco, CA) - The University of San Francisco cross country squad is on the Hilltop and preparing for the upcoming 2009 season. The men's and women's teams open with their only home meet on the schedule, hosting the 17th Annual San Francisco Invitational at Golden Gate Park on September 5.
2009 Men's Cross Country Preview:
Last year, the Dons finished third at the West Coast Conference championships and 16th out of 47 teams in the NCAA Regionals. Throughout the season, San Francisco had no less than four top-four finishes, including a season high second place in the San Francisco Invitational (8/30). This year, USF was picked to finish second with Loyola Marymount in the WCC preseason coaches poll.
Sophomore Ganbileg Bor is the top returner after earning WCC Freshman and the Year and First-Team accolades in 2008. In his first season on the Hilltop, Bor's second place finish (26:01/8k) in the WCC Championships was the second highest ever for a Don, just behind Cheyne Inman's first place showing in 2007. He set a personal best in the 10k at the NCAA Regionals with a 30:20 (38th), and was the highest Dons finisher in program history.
Senior Alex Nelson redshirted both 2008 cross country and 2009 track and field, but in the spring of 2008, he ran a 3:44.76 to earn a berth to the NCAA finals in the 1500. His last cross country season was 2007 and he was the top finisher for the Dons in the Bronco Invitational, where he ran a personal best of 25:07 to place 10th in the 8k.
Junior Jesus Romo improved dramatically over his freshman season and was a consistent top seven runner for the Dons. He finished 21st in the WCC Championships in 27:12. In the 2009 track season he was a NCAA Western Regionals qualifier in the 3000m steeplechase with a time of 9:06.38.
"Our men's team is extremely deep with a large number of returning guys who have the ability to factor into our top seven," said head coach Helen Lehman-Winters.
Two newcomers are expected to make major contributions this fall. Freshman Jordan Baker (Spokane, WA/Mead HS) finished 36th at the Footlocker Western Regional Championships and owns prep bests of 4:26.2 for the 1600m and 9:30.32 for the 3200m. Freshman Adrian Rafiee (San Diego, CA/Patrick Henry HS) finished 24th in 15:38 at the 2008 Division I California State Cross Country Championships. He also owns prep bests of 1:57.9 in the 800m, 4:19.11 in the 1600m, and 9:04.83 in the 3200m.
2009 Women's Cross Country Preview:
Last year, the Dons finished fourth at the West Coast Conference championships and 18th at the NCAA Regionals. Throughout the season, San Francisco had no less than fiver top-four finishes, including two second place finishes at the San Francisco Invitational (8/30) and the Sacramento State Hornet Jamboree (9/13). This year, USF was picked to finish third behind Portland (1) and Loyola Marymount (2) in the WCC preseason coaches poll.
"We have a strong set of returners and a number of incoming freshmen who should be able to step up and factor into our top five this fall," said Lehman-Winters.
Four top returners and the best recruiting class in program history will boost the women's squad. Sophomore Hilary Kigar was consistently a top seven runner for USF last season. Her highest finish came at the Doc Adams Invitational where she finished 10th in 22:43.9.
Junior Laurel Kleiber earned WCC Honorable Mention at the conference championships after finishing 15th in the 6k with a time of 22:46.0. She also posted a personal best of 21:37 and finished 64th at the NCAA Regionals. On the track in 2009, Kleiber ran personal bests of 9:56.73 in the 3000m and 17:07.01 in the 5000m.
Junior Nicole Bowler was consistently a top three finisher for USF and ran a personal best of 22:00 (87th) at the NCAA Regionals. Her 23:22.0 was good enough for 22nd in the WCC Championships, and she had her highest showing, 2nd place, at the Sacramento State Invitational with a time of 17:37 in the 5k. On the track, she was a NCAA Regional Qualifier in the 1500m (4:26.72) and the 3000m steeplechase (10:43.93).
Sophomore Sophia Ditty, was often the Dons number four runner throughout the season. She finished 24th at the WCC Championships in 23:33.0 and placed fifth (her highest of the season) at the San Francisco State Invitational in 22:38.0. In the spring of 2009, she ran the 1500m in 4:45.36, and the 5000m in 17:44.28.
Five freshmen make up the best class in women's cross country history. Eva Krchova (Brno, Czech Republic/Spanish Bilingual HS) has personal bests of 2:11.83 (800m), 4:31.24 (1500m), 9:51.71 (3000m), and 10:54.22 (3000m steeplechase). Chloe Trelevan (Tacoma, WA/Curtis Senior HS) owns personal bests of 5:00.98 in the 1600m and 10:37 in the 3200m. She was second in the Washington State meet in the 3200m and fourth in the 1600m.
Heather Zytkewicz (Oceanside, CA/Rancho Buena Vista HS) owns a prep best of 10:53.2 in the 3200m, and Hayley Niles (Rancho Santa Margarita, CA/Trabuco Hills HS) owns track bests of 5:15 (1600m) and 11:07 (3200m).
Sophie Curl (Bellingham, WA/Squalicum HS) finished eighth (19:06) at the 2A Washington State meet and was a 2009 USATF Junior National Finalist in the 800m. She owns prep bests of 2:11.45 in the 800m and 4:32.59 in the 1500m. Alice Baker was the 2009 BSAL Champion in both the 1600m and 3200m and owns prep bests of 5:15.57 in the 1600m and 11:06.67 in the 3200m.
