Complete individual results (PDF)
        Complete team results (PDF)
        Plunkett places 8th, leads all D-2 women

SPOKANE – AJ Baker became the fifth runner in as many meets this season to lead Seattle Pacific across the finish line, as he ran to a 57th place finish among 248 competitors at the Erik Anderson/Runner's Soul NCAA pre-regional meet on Saturday morning.

Falcons junior Baker (Au Gres, Mich.) completed the 8-kilometer course at Plantes Ferry Park in 26 minutes, 1.45 seconds.

SPU, ranked ninth in among West Region school this week by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, finished 17th among the 25 teams with 468 points. Colorado School of Mines won handily with 27 points.

Great Northwest Athletic Conference rivals Western Washington (third with 181), Western Oregon (fourth with 184) and Northwest Nazarene (sixth with 199) were all among the top 10.

“Our No. 1 goal was accomplished in that they got a feel for the course and a feeling for what it's like to have people around you,” Falcons head coach Erika Daligcon said. “We did learn some things through being out there. I think they're looking forward to being back on that course and showing their true colors.”

Plantes Ferry Park will be the site of the NCAA Division II West Regionals on Nov. 5. To qualify, Seattle Pacific will have to finish among the top five teams at next month's GNAC Championships, and/or be regionally ranked at that time.

A week ago in Seattle, Baker delivered a personal-best performance at the Sundodger Invitational, but finished No. 6 for the Falcons.

On Saturday, he was their front runner by a considerable margin, as the next SPU runner across the line was freshman Seth Pierson (Cashmere, Wash./Cashmere HS). Pierson finished 91st in 26:26.3.

Rounding out the scoring for the Falcons was junior Jordan Wolfe (Bend, Ore.),. freshman Turner Wiley (Issaquah, Wash./Issaquah HS) and junior Will Harrison (Tucson, Ariz).

The Falcons did not have the services of senior Jacob Wahlenmaier (Everett, Wash./Cascade HS). Wahlenmaier – one of the five runners who have led the Seattle Pacific pack this season – was pulled at the last minute because of back pain.

Freshman Tavish Taylor (Port Angeles, Wash./Port Angeles HS), first across the line for SPU last week at Sundodger, went down in the early going, but got back to his feet to finish the race.

“He's a real solid worker, and that shows maturity from a freshman,” Daligcon said.

Seattle Pacific returns to action next Saturday in Salem, Ore., at the Charles Bowles Invitational. That meet is expected to be another test against several Division II West Region opponents.


NCAA MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY
Erik Anderson/Runner's Soul Pre-Regional
Saturday, September 24, 2011
8 kilometers at Plantes Ferry Park / Spokane, Wash.

Team scores – 1, Colorado School of Mines 27; 2, Gonzaga 95; 3, Western Washington 181; 4, Western Oregon 184; 5, Lewis-Clark State 185; 6, Northwest Nazarene 199; 7, UC San Diego 228; 8, Colorado-Colorado Springs 249; 9, Lipscomb 250; 10, Whitworth 313; 11, College of Idaho 355; 12, Eastern Oregon 359; 13, Rocky Mountain College 374; 14, Great Falls 384; 15, Humboldt State 395; 16, Grand Canyon 415; 17, Seattle Pacific 468; 18, Montana State Billings 510; 19, Spokane CC 538; 20, Carroll College 598; 21, Alaska Fairbanks 787; 22, Flathead Valley CC 823; 23, Cal State East Bay 854; 24, Regis 931; 25, Whitman 987.
Top 5 – 1, Sean Gildea (Colo Mines) 24:03.3; 2, Barak Watson (NNU) 24:19.1; 3, Andrew Epperson (Colo Mines) 24:31.8; 4, Russell Drummond (Colo Mines) 24:32.5; 5, Kyle Van Santen (Saint Martin's) 24:34.1. SPU placers – 57, AJ Baker 26:04.4; 91, Seth Pierson 26:26.3; 125, Jordan Wolfe 26:53.1; 133, Turner Wiley 27:00.0; 141, Will Harrison 27:04.4; 146, Nathanael Sleight 27:15.0; 156, Alex Horton 27:28.8; 201, Tavish Taylor 28:44.8; 218, Gavin Brand 29:31.8; 226, Trevor Taylor 29:55.3.