KAHUKU, Hawaii – The San Francisco State men's country squad posted a fourth-place finish at the 2012 NCAA Division II West Regional Championships on Saturday at Kahuku Golf Course.
Bruk Assefa was the Gators' top finisher, posting a ninth-place individual effort with a 10-kilometer time of 32 minutes, 29 seconds to earn All-Region honors.
With the results, SF State earned its first-ever berth as a team in the NCAA Division II Championships, scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 17, in Joplin, Mo.
“We set up the training for nationals starting later than what have done in the past and it paid off today,” said Gator head coach
Tom Lyons. “It's rare when all seven runners have good days, but the guys did it today with smart racing, along with a great plan to deal with the heat and the longer distance.”
“It took four years, but we did it,” said SF State senior
Brian Trejo. “This is the best team of guys I've ever run with. I'm looking forward to toeing the line at nationals with them.”
Trejo just missed out on All-Region honors, placing 27th with a 33:27 clocking as the top 25 competitors earn such distinction.
Ernesto Rodriguez (29th – 33:36) was the next Gator entrant to cross the finish line, followed by
Tyler Deniston (33rd – 33:48),
Ryan Woods (37th – 33:58),
Logan Smith (56th – 34:25) and
David Urista (62nd – 34:48).
“After a long, bumpy road full of injuries and illness this season, we were able to put it all together today,” Rodriguez said. “We raced for one another, and honestly, that was the difference.”
Bolstered by a 2-3-4 finish by its top three runners, Chico State unseated two-time defending champion Alaska Anchorage to capture the team title. The Wildcats tallied 38 points, followed by UAA (46 pts.), Western Washington (82 pts.) and SF State (130 pts.), while Humboldt State (140 pts.) rounded out the top five schools that will represent the West Region at the national meet.
UAA's Micah Chelimo claimed the individual crown for the second year in a row with a time of 31:58, edging Chico's Adrian Sherrod (32:02), Alfonso Cisneros (32:06) and Isaac Chavez (32:07).
NCAA Division II West Regional Championships
Nov. 3, 2012
Men's 10K
Kahuku Golf Course
Kahuku, Hawaii
SF State Results Only
9.
Bruk Assefa, 32:29 (All-Region)
27.
Brian Trejo, 33:27
29.
Ernesto Rodriguez, 33:36
33.
Tyler Deniston, 33:48
37.
Ryan Woods, 33:58
56.
Logan Smith, 34:25
62.
David Urista, 34:38
Final Men's Individual Results
Final Men's Team Results
