Bearcats Finish 20th at NCAA National Championships

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

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.

MEN'S RESULTS

Stefan Redfield (Jr., Sisters, OR/Sisters HS) was Willamette's top finisher, as he claimed 58th place with a time of 26:26.5 over the 8-kilometer course. Redfield placed 42nd among scorers. Matt Parker (Jr., Portland, OR/Lincoln HS) of Willamette placed 72nd overall and was 53rd among scorers after completing the race in 26:33.8.

Leo Castillo (So., Parkdale, OR/Hood River Valley HS) of WU took 127th (98th) as he clocked in at 26:54.7. Ben Donovan (So., Minneapolis, MN/South HS) was 168th (129th) at 27:15.6 and Chris Platano (Sr., Myrtle Point, OR/Myrtle Point HS) finished 199th (154th) at 27:31.6.

Willamette's team score was 476, as the Bearcats edged out St. Olaf College (Minn.), 477, by a single point to earn a spot in the Top 20. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, which held off Willamette to win the West Regional title last weekend, finished 15th on Saturday with a score of 425. Colorado College, also from the West Region, took 25th at 557. A total of 32 teams competed for the title.

The Bearcats earned their Top 20 finish with just one senior among their seven runners at the National Championships. Platano was the lone senior entered in the race for Willamette. The 'Cats also had four juniors and two sophomores competing.

North Central earned the team championship with a score of 50 (2-6-10-15-17). Williams College (Mass.) took second at 181. Third place went to Allegheny College (Pa.) with a score of 195.

Ricky Flynn from Lynchburg College (Va.) won the men's individual title. He crossed the finish line in 25:09.8 to earn the victory by 22.4 seconds. Michael Spain of North Central achieved second place at 25:32.2 and Edgar Kosgey of Williams was third at 25:34.2.

Jackson Brainerd of Colorado College was the top finisher from the West Region. He took 18th place with a time of 25:54.7. The first Northwest Conference runner to complete the course was Francis Reynolds from the University of Puget Sound, who took 34th place in 26:08.4. The first 35 finishers earned All-America status.