Sept. 14, 2005
SAN BRUNO, Calif. - an Bruno, Calif. - The University of Portland was picked to win both the 2005 men's and women's cross country titles, as chosen by the WCC head coaches. Portland is the overwhelming favorite in both polls, with the men's and women's squads receiving the maximum of 49 points and all seven first place votes from the seven other WCC coaches in each poll. San Francisco received the remaining first place vote in the men's poll, while Gonzaga received a first place vote in the women's poll.
The Pilots have won the men's race 26 consecutive years, the longest streak in any sport in WCC history. Portland runners have also taken the top individual spot in as many years, with senior Nick Schuetze claiming the title at the 2004 championship with a time of 25:30. The Portland women, like their male counterparts, have dominated the WCC cross country championship, winning 15 of the last 20 women's championships the WCC has sponsored, including eight of the last nine. Portland placed six runners in the top 10 of the women's competition last season, with freshman Amie Dahnke recording the second fastest time in WCC Championship history at 17:40.
San Francisco is slated to finish second in the men's poll, while Gonzaga is picked to finish third. Santa Clara was tabbed fourth, with Loyola Marymount taking fifth and San Diego coming in sixth. Pepperdine and Saint Mary's round out the men's field in the seventh and eighth place spots, respectively. The women's poll nearly mirrors the men's through the first five spots, with San Francisco picked to finish second, Gonzaga slated for the third place slot, and Santa Clara and Loyola Marymount checking in at fourth and fifth, respectively. Pepperdine was tabbed for a sixth place finish, while San Diego was chosen seventh and Saint Mary's rounds out the poll in eighth place.
2005 WCC Preseason Coaches Polls
Men
1. Portland - 49 (7)
2. San Francisco - 41 (1)
3. Gonzaga - 35
4. Santa Clara - 33
5. Loyola Marymount - 24
6. San Diego - 21
7. Pepperdine - 11
8. Saint Mary's - 10
Women
1. Portland - 49 (7)
2. San Francisco - 40
3. Santa Clara - 34
4. Gonzaga - 32 (1)
5. Loyola Marymount - 27
6. Pepperdine - 20
7. San Diego - 15
8. Saint Mary's - 7
(First Place Votes)
2005 WCC Men's Top Times (8K Only)
1. Chris Mulvany (SCU) - 25:56.6 (USF Invite)
2. Cheyne Inman (USF) - 26:08.1 (USF Invite)
3. Mike Delaurenti (SCU) - 26:13.9 (USF Invite)
4. Chris Doerhoff (SCU) - 26:18.5 (USF Invite)
5. JP Thyken (SCU) - 26:28.0 (USF Invite)
6. Chad Trammell (PEP) - 26:37.6 (Fullerton Invite)
7. Jorge Martinez (USF) - 26:40.5 (USF Invite)
8. Jacob Marx (USF) - 26:44.7 (USF Invite)
9. Eric Flemming (USF) - 26:45.1 (USF Invite)
10. Chad Trammell (PEP) - 26:51.0 (USF Invite)
2005 WCC Women's Top Times (5K Only)
1. Tiffanie Marley (USD) - 18:26.0 (Fullerton Invite)
2. Laura Mickelson (LMU) - 18:41.5 (Fullerton Invite)
3. Renee Stribling (USF) - 18:43.4 (UC Davis Invite)
4. Jennifer Hartford (USF) - 18:46.8 (USF Invite)
5. Sara Mickelson (LMU) - 18:48.4 (Fullerton Invite)
6. Renee Stribling (USF) - 18:50.0 (USF Invite)
7. Brittany Rezowalli (LMU) - 18:55.2 (Fullerton Invite)
8. Shannon Bell (SCU) - 18:56.2 (USF Invite)
9. Jennifer Hartford (USF) - 18:58.2 (UC Davis Invite)
10. Noelle Lopez (SCU) - 19:05.3 (USF Invite)
Santa ClaraTeam Notes
