Yellowjackets Run to 12^th Place Team Finish (Nov. 6, 2004)

BELLINGHAM, WA – The Montana State University-Billings women’s cross-country team ran to a twelfth place finish at the West Region Championships held in Bellingham, Washington Saturday.  The Yellowjacket men placed 17^th in the team competition.

Senior Heidi Robertson (Sr., Great Falls, MT) was the top finisher for the Yellowjackets placing 25^th overall in the 6-kilometer run with a time of 24:18.  Placing 26^th was teammate Sarah Lord (Jr., Billings, MT), also with a time of 24:18.  Chelsea Lynnes finished 55^th at 25:03.  Chelsea Smith of BYU-Hawaii won the meet with a time of 21:43.

Scott Brown (Sr., Billings, MT) placed 105^th  in the men’s 10-kilometer race with a time of 37:22 and was the top runner for the Yellowjacket men.  Teammate Sam Hartpence (So., Custer, SD) placed 108^th with a time of 37:38.  The winner of the men’s race was Mark Batres of Cal Poly-Pomona with a time of 32:09.

Women team qualifiers to the national competition are Cal State University-Chico, University of California San Diego, and University of Alaska Anchorage. Men team qualifiers include Cal State University-Chico, Cal Poly University-Pomona and Seattle Pacific University.

“Cal State Chico was the pre-meet favorite to sweep the men’s and women’s team title and they did just that,” said head coach Dave Coppock.  “I was hoping for a top ten finish in the team for the women and we ended up 12^th.  I am proud of both our men and women runners.  The conditions were the toughest I’ve seen.  It was cold, wet and muddy.  Everyone just sort of slipped and fell.”

The NCAA Division II National meet will be held at Southern Indiana Saturday, November 20^th.