Weber State women and Northern Arizona men won the 2011 Big Sky Conference Cross Country Championships.
WSU, NAU Win Championship
Complete Results
Weber State women and Northern Arizona men won the 2011 Big Sky Conference Cross Country Championships. This was WSU’s fifth championship title and NAU’s 21st title, including its fifth consecutive title.
The last time the Wildcats won the championship was back in 2006 when the meet was in Sacramento, Calif.
Amber Henry won the individual title with a time of 17:30.50, which broke the course record set in 2002 by Ida Nilsson of Northern Arizona with a time of 18:16.1.
“I was able to help my team take the championship,” said Henry about her win.
The last individual title for WSU was in 2007 when Sarah Long won. Henry was seventh at least years championships.
“I knew our team would do well because we trained really well,” added Henry about the course.
NAU won its fifth consecutive championship title to set a Big Sky record. NAU’s Diego Estrada was the individual winner with a time of 24:15.43, which set a new course record. The old record was set in 2002 by Casey Jermyn of Montana State with a time of 24:53.6. Estrada was the seventh consecutive winner for NAU.
“Just makes me happy because we are trying to establish a good tradition of individual and team champions,” said Estrada of NAU. “It was just a special feeling to finally win cross country.”
Estrada finished second at least year’s championship and was third in 2008.
“I think it was just a special thing for us knowing that coach Heins is doing a great job and the guys really wanted it,” said Estrada about the team win. “This isn’t a meet we take lightly. This is something that means a lot to the program. So we are just happy we could come out on top again.”
In the women’s team scores, the Wildcats had 40 points followed by host Idaho State who had 50 points. Northern Arizona was third with 82 points followed by Montana State (4th, 89), Montana (5th, 116), Sacramento State (6th, 139), Eastern Washington (7th, 192), Northern Colorado (8th, 215) and Portland State (9th, 273).
In the men’s team scores, the Lumberjack had 26 points followed by Weber State who had 42 points. Montana State was third with 86 points. Following MSU was Montana (4th, 122), Sacramento State (5th, 131), Idaho State (6th, 134), Eastern Washington (7th, 167), Northern Colorado (8th, 224) and Portland State (9th, 236).
Women’s All-Conference Team
1. Amber Henry, WSU, 17:30.50
2. Bradi Hutchison, ISU, 17:43.52
3. Kortnee Burton, NAU, 17:46.95
4. Heather Haug, MSU, 17:56.92
5. Sarah Callister, WSU, 17:56.92
6. Laken Hintze, WSU, 18:10.98
7. Keely West, MSU, 18:18.43
8. Cydney Jacobsen, ISU, 18:22.07
9. Kylie Hutchison, ISU, 18:22.56
10. Rochelle Kanuho, NAU, 18:23.35
Men’s All-Conference Team
1. Diego Estrada, NAU, 24:15.43
2. Jordan Chipangama, NAU, 24:38.52
3. Brett Hales, WSU, 24:44.60
4. Lynn Reynolds, UM, 24:52.27
5. Tim Feriks, NAU, 24:57.77
6. Mike Hardy, WSU, 25:00.20
7. Matt Coloe, NAU, 25:03.66
8. Jason Nance, WSU, 25:04.94
9. Jacob Kirk, MSU, 25:16.89
10. Seth Grossman, MSU, 25:18.58