Kelly Christensen finished in second place at the NCAA Division II national championships Saturday in Chino, Calif., but it was plenty good enough for the Western State men’s cross country team.
Christensen, who finished in 31 minutes, 10.4 seconds, led the Mountaineers to their second consecutive national championship, totaling 38 points. Adams State, led by Mario Macias and Jacob Raines, the fifth- and sixth-place finishers respectively, finished second with 110. Abilene (Texas) Christian’s Nicodemus Naimadu, a sophomore, won his second individual title with a time of 30:13.8.
It was the seventh national championship for Western State since 1995, and added to the Mountaineers’ record number of national titles. Chico (Calif.) State and Grand Valley (Mich.) State rounded out the top five. Colorado Mines, led by Joel Hamilton’s eighth-place run, finished sixth. Western State’s Oliver Bodor finished seventh.
Adams State women continue dominance
The Adams State women’s cross country team set a Division II record for team championships by winning its 11th title, this one at Prado Park in Chino, Calif. The Grizzlies placed five runners in the top 21 and finished with 54 points. Grand Valley (Mich.) State was second at 69. Western State finished third with 154.
Adams State capped an undefeated season, and its coach, Damon Martin, won his 14th national title, including three at the NAIA level. Mandi Zemba of Grand Valley State won the individual title at 21 minutes, 1.7 seconds. Western State’s Esther Komen finished second (21:12.9), and Adams State’s Victoria Martinez was third at 21:13.6.
Pioneers men’s lacrosse signs eight players
University of Denver lacrosse coach Jamie Munro called it his best class at the school, while announcing the signing of eight recruits: midfielder Tyler O’Crowley and attackman Cameron Kerr from Cherry Creek High School, midfielders Jacob and Jared Houghton from Rocky Mountain, defender Dillon Roy from Manual, goalkeeper Peyton Tyrie from Arapahoe, and midfielders Charley and John Dickenson from Dallas.
Broadmoor skaters place 1-2 at sectionals
Parker Pennington, competing for the Broadmoor Skating Club, won the senior men’s free skate competition of the 2006 Midwestern Sectional Championships at South Suburban Ice Arena in Centennial. His score of 193.06 beat second-place finisher Ryan Jahnke, also with Broadmoor, at 188.45 points.
In the women’s senior short program, Katy Taylor of Texas Gulf Coast FSC, won with a score of 51.68. Erica
Archambault of Broadmoor was second with 47.68.
