CORVALLIS – (Oct. 21) Friday, a few runners from both the men’s and women’s cross country teams had the chance to race one last time before the WAC Championships by competing at the Beaver Classic at Avery Park in Corvallis, Ore.
Both the men’s and women’s teams took second place on a course that doesn’t necessarily make it easy to post fast times, a good challenge for the team of runners who were either solidifying their spot for Conference, or ensuring they had another race under their belt before then.
The top seven women and top five men from Emerald City qualified for WAC Championships, so the Beaver Classic determined the final two spots for women and final four spots for men.
The first woman to cross the finish line for Seattle U was newcomer Abbigayle Kohmetscher, who finished in ninth place with a personal best time of 24:49.7. Although she started faster than ideal for a race, she recovered well and finished strong.
“She did a fantastic job relaxing, slowing down, and then being strong and giving all she had for the rest of the race,” head coach Trisha Steidl said. “Despite starting much too fast, she maintained her composure in a way most runners would not, and ended up having a great race. A lot of this has to do with her positivity and desire to challenge herself.”
Ben Monk was the first to finish for the men, grabbing seventh place with a time of 26:25.1.
“Ben started out smart and moved up the entire time,” Steidl said. “He looked very strong, which was great to see as he’s been dealing with a hip issue this week. He ran with confidence and strength. This was a good mental boost for him heading into Conference next week.”
Matt Seidel, who had qualified for the WAC Championships after the time he posted at Emerald City, raced again at the Beaver Classic, and was able to finish in ninth place with a time of 26:45.0, improving on his time from the previous race.
Emerald City had been Seidel’s first race of the season, so for him to get another race experience under his belt before Conference was huge.
“It was quite beneficial for him to race today, as it gave him a lot of good feedback as far as where his strengths and weaknesses are currently, and how to approach the race next week so he can make the most of it,” Steidl said.
Beaver Classic was the final meet before nine women and nine men compete at the WAC Championships. For Steidl, it was a great last look at some of the runners.
“The men’s team was all returners who looked very strong and competitive today,” Steidl said. “The women’s team was all new ladies who are still gaining valuable experience, and this race provided them a great opportunity to gain even more knowledge about themselves.”
The WAC Championships, hosted by Seattle U, will be held on Saturday, Oct. 29 at the Jefferson Park Golf Course in Seattle, Wash. The women’s race begins at 9 a.m., and the men’s race follows at 10 a.m.