2009-10 Cross Country News
SALEM, ORE. -- Cross country and track and field runner Chris Platano (Sr., Myrtle Point, OR/Myrtle Point HS) from Willamette University has been chosen for the 2009-10 All-Northwest Conference Scholar-Athlete First Team. One male athlete and one female athlete from each NWC member college or university was chosen for the award.
DES MOINES, IOWA -- Former Willamette University runner Nick Symmonds '06 recorded his third consecutive outdoor national championship in the men's 800-meter run with a time of 1:45.98 in the finals of the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Sunday, June 27. Symmonds previously won USA outdoor titles in the 800 at the 2008 Olympic Trials and the 2009 Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
SALEM, ORE. -- Chris Platano (Sr., Myrtle Point, OR/Myrtle Point HS), who competed in cross country and track and field for Willamette University the past four years, has been chosen to receive an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship. The scholarship provides $7,500 to help pay for graduate school tuition.
SALEM, ORE. -- A total of five Willamette University cross country runners have received All-Academic status for the 2009 season from the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). Three members of the Willamette men's team and two runners on the Bearcat women's team were chosen for the All-Academic award.
SALEM, ORE. -- The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has named Willamette University men's cross country runner Chris Platano (Sr., Myrtle Point, OR/Myrtle Point HS) as an Elite 88 Award winner for the fall 2009 season. The Elite 88 Award is presented at each NCAA national championship event to the competing athlete with the highest grade point average. The NCAA sponsors a total of 88 national team titles in its three divisions.
HIGHLAND HILLS, OHIO -- Willamette University took 20th place in the men's team standings at the NCAA Division III National Championships on Saturday, Nov. 21 at the Highland Park Golf Course. It was Willamette's seventh Top 20 finish since 2001. North Central College (Illinois) won the men's team title.
HIGHLAND HILLS, OHIO -- Willamette University junior runner Tina Patel (Bend, OR/Summit HS) finished 92nd out of 279 runners at the NCAA Division III National Championships at the Highland Park Golf Course on Saturday, Nov. 21. The winner of the 6-kilometer race was Wendy Pavlus from St. Lawrence University (N.Y.) with a time of 21:28.0.
HIGHLAND HILLS, OHIO -- The Willamette University men's cross country team and Tina Petel (Jr., Bend, OR/Summit HS) from the WU women's team will compete at the NCAA Division III National Championships on Saturday, Nov. 21 at the Highland Park Golf Course. The women's 6-kilometer race is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. (EST)/8 a.m. (PST) and the men's 8-kilometer race is set to start at 12 p.m. (EST)/9 a.m. (PST).
HIGHLAND HILLS, OHIO -- The Willamette University men's cross country team will compete at the NCAA Division III National Championships on Saturday, Nov. 21 at the Highland Park Golf Course. Willamette received an automatic bid to the event by finishing in second place in the team standings at the West Regional last weekend.
SALEM, ORE. -- The Willamette University men's cross country team, which took second place at the NCAA Division III West Regional to secure an automatic bid to the National Championships, is ranked #17 this week's National Rankings released by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). Willamette is also ranked #2 in the West Region. The WU women's team is ranked #7 in the Region.
INDIANAPOLIS, IND. -- The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has chosen the at-large teams and individuals in order to complete the field for the 2009 Division III Men's and Women's Cross Country Championships, set for Nov. 21 in Highland Hills, Ohio. The Championships will be held at Highland Hills Golf Course and will be hosted by Baldwin-Wallace College.
CLAREMONT, CALIF. -- Led by a fifth place individual finish from junior Matt Parker (Portland, OR/Lincoln HS), the Willamette University men's cross country team took second place at the NCAA Division III West Regional Championships on Saturday, Nov. 14. With the second place finish, Willamette's men received an automatic berth into the NCAA Division III National Championships next weekend (Nov. 21) in Cleveland, Ohio.
SALEM, ORE. -- Throughout the 2009 season, the Willamette University men's cross country team has shown exceptional depth while recording several team victories, including its eighth Northwest Conference title in the past nine years. Now, as the championship portion of the schedule continues, the Bearcats look to put their depth to use again this weekend at the NCAA Division III West Regional in Claremont, Calif.
SALEM, ORE. -- The Willamette University men's cross country team, which won its eighth Northwest Conference title in the past nine years last weekend, has moved up one spot to #12 in the NCAA Division III National Poll released by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) on Wednesday, Nov. 4.
SALEM, ORE. -- Matt McGuirk, head cross country coach at Willamette University, has been chosen Northwest Conference Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year after leading the Bearcats to the 2009 NWC Championship. McGuirk was chosen for the award by his fellow coaches in the NWC.
ESTACADA, ORE. -- The Willamette University men's cross country team won the 2009 Northwest Conference championship during action at the NWC Meet on Saturday, Oct. 31 at McIver Park. It was the eighth NWC title in the last nine years for the Bearcat men's team. The Bearcat women finishes fifth in the team standings.