California Baptist University
NCAA Division II West Regional (6K)
Best in the West
11/4/2017 8:00:00 PM | Women's Cross Country, Cross Country & Track
MONMOUTH, Ore. — Being the top-ranked team is never easy, but No.1-ranked California Baptist University proved yet another statement, showcasing its dominance at the NCAA Division II West Region Championship Saturday at the Ash Creek Preserve in Monmouth, Ore.
For the first time in program history, the Lancers won the West Region Championship, automatically qualifying CBU a trip to the NCAA Division II Championship Meet in Evansville, Ind., on Nov. 18. CBU won the race with a team score of 68 points.
"It's a huge accomplishment to win a regional championship," said Coach Ben Gall. "I'm just really proud of this group and how we came out and compete."
The dynamic duo of Emeline Delanis (2017 PacWest Runner of the Year) and Anett Somogyi (2016 PacWest Runner and Freshman of the Year) has been strong all year, and today was no different. The pair hung out together for the whole course of the race, with Somogyi slightly edging out her teammate. Somogyi took second overall, crossing the finish line in 21 minutes, 4.5 seconds, while Delanis came in right behind her in 21:08.6, placing third out of 208 total runners.
"Its been great to see Anett and Emeline go back and forth for us all year," added Gall. "They really fed off each other today and that really affected our entire team."
Fruzsi Ladanyi followed in a time of 21:32.7, securing an 11th-place finish, while Caroline Barkechir took 24th after clocking in at 21:50.0. Delanis, Somogyi, Ladanyi, and Barkechir all earned All-West Region honors, with their top-25 overall finishes.
"Caroline really stepped up for us," added Gall. "We wouldn't have been able to win today without her."
Kate Robinson (21:56.3, 28th) and Katie Deimling (22:03.9, 36th) were just outside of the top-25, but played pivotal roles in displacing scoring runners for other teams. As did Leanda du Bruyn, who rounded out the runners for the Lancers, crossing the finish in 22:29.1.
"Today was great overall and the fun part is we can still be better," said Gall. "Roles really kind of switched today and it's just special to have such a tight group."
The field for the NCAA Division II National Championship Meet will be announced on Monday by 2 p.m. (Pacific), as the release will include the selection of at-large teams and individuals.
CBU next heads to the Evansville, Ind., in two weeks, looking to bring home their first-ever Division II Championship. It will be their last year to do so before heading to Division I next year.
Results
Players Mentioned
