NCAA West Regional Preview
The CMS cross country teams head up to Salem, OR this weekend to compete at the NCAA West Regional in Bush's Pasture Park. The top two teams for each gender will automatically qualify for the NCAA Division III Championships which will take place in Mason, OH on November 22. Both CMS teams are looking to qualify for the NCAA Championships for the seventh year in a row.
The Stags are the top ranked team in the region after beating previous number one (and now #3) Pomona-Pitzer at the SCIAC Championships 42-49. Host Willamette University is ranked second after winning the Northwest Conference 41-69 over fourth ranked Puget Sound. Last year, Pomona-Pitzer edged CMS 71-78 at the regional with Willamette placing third with 109. CMS went on to finish 19th at the NCAA Championships where they were the top finishing West Region team.
CMS is led by Zorg Loustalet (HMC JR) who finished second at the SCIAC Championships and earned SCIAC Athlete of the Year honors. Loustalet is CMS' top returner from last year's regional where he finished third after winning the race as a freshman. Sam Pitcavage (CMC SR) is the team's other returner from last year's regional. He finished 15th a year ago and finished 20th in 2012. CMS placed all seven of their runners in the top 15 at the SCIAC Championships. Alex Mauro (CMC SR) and Alex Lombardo (CMC SO) joined Loustalet in earning First Team All-SCIAC honors with their sixth and tenth place finishes. CMS' next four, Jack Wilson (CMC JR) [11th], Pitcavage (13th), Hunter Olsen (CMC FR) [14th] and Garrett Ryan (CMC SO) [15th] finished within six seconds of each other in an impressive display of pack running. Eight of the top ten finishers at last year's regional will compete this year.
The Athenas are ranked second in the region and easily won the SCIAC Championships two weeks ago 35-62 over sixth ranked Pomona-Pitzer. Willamette is the top team in the region and won the Northwest Conference with 16 points. Third ranked Whitworth finished second at NWC with 59 points followed by fourth ranked Puget Sound with 79. Last year, CMS won the regional with 62 points followed by Willamette with 81 and Whitworth with 112. CMS went on to finish 14th at the NCAA Championships.
CMS is led by Sara Mostatabi (CMC SR). She earned her fourth straight First Team All-SCIAC honor at the SCIAC Championships and she has finished in the top ten at the regional her first three years. She is the team's lone returner from last year's race where she finished third. The Athenas also placed all seven of their runners in the top 15 at the SCIAC Championships. Carmen Mejia (SCR SO) [5th], Caroline Willian (CMC SO) [6th] and Jen Lehr (SCR SO) [9th] joined Mostatabi in earning First Team All-SCIAC honors. Bryn McKillop (SCR FY) [11th], Taia Wu (SCR SR) [13th] and Kaitlyn Spees (SCR SR) [15th] followed for CMS as the team's top seven finished within 47 seconds of each other . Only five of last year's top 10 return for this year's race.
The regional takes place on Saturday, November 15. The men race first at 10:00 followed by the women at 11:00. Complete information about the regional can be found on the regional website at: http://www.d3xc.com/.