FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Birgitta Gray O: (406) 896-5917 E: birgitta.gray@msubillings.edu October 20, 2016 ‘Jackets heading to GNAC championships MSUB Cross Country on Facebook | MSUB Cross Country on ISSUU | TFRRS Results | GNAC Release Preview Interviews with junior Bailey Bomar and head coach Dave Coppock
Bailey Bomar and the Yellowjackets are heading to Washington to compete in the GNAC championships.
The MSU Billings women’s cross country team is travelling to the conference championships taking place in Washington. BILLINGS, Mont. – The MSU Billings women’s cross country team is travelling to Washington for the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Cross Country Championships taking place on Saturday, Oct. 22. The meet is being hosted by Western Washington at the course on Lake Padden Park, the same site as the 2015 championships. The Yellowjackets finished last in the conference event in 2015, but MSUB head coach Dave Coppock knows the potential of the 2016 roster is capable of improving their results from a season ago. “For the women’s team, our goal is to rise above where we finished last year,” Coppock said. “I think this year’s team is capable of moving up. We finished sixth in 2014 and dropped to 11th in 2015, so I’m hoping we were able to rebuild enough this year to start moving back up. We have a lot of new runners though and only Rio, Bailey, and Sarah have run this course before. But, freshmen Lydia, Catrina, and Ella have been improving each week, so I think we’ll have a good
chance to move up. Rio had a good performance last year at this meet and she should help lead us along with Nikki. Everyone looks pretty healthy at this point.” Headed to the meet for the Yellowjackets are Nikki Aiken, Sarah Beatty, Bailey Bomar, Lydia Foster, Rio Frame, Ella McKenzie, and Catrina Schuchard. Frame, Aiken, and Bomar have been the top placing trio for the Yellowjackets this season. Frame has been the No. 1 runner for the ‘Jackets her senior season. The native of Glendive, Mont., finished the same course last year at the championships in 52nd place, finishing the course in 23:46.80. As a sophomore last year, Bomar placed 86th in 26:12.50. Beatty completed the team results for MSUB last season as a freshman, taking the seventh spot for the ‘Jackets with a 95th place finish in 27:58.70. With more than half the team competing as newcomers for MSUB, it will be a good experience and challenge for the freshmen class. In the GNAC, Alaska Anchorage is the defending conference champions. This season, Alaska Anchorage is ranked No. 14 in the latest United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association national poll, followed by Simon Fraser at No. 19 and Seattle Pacific ranked No. 25. Among the GNAC teams ranked regionally, Alaska Anchorage is No. 3, Simon Fraser is No. 5, Seattle Pacific is No. 7, and Western Washington No. 8. Western Washington University / Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championships Host Western Washington University Date Saturday, Oct. 22 Location Lake Padden Park Start Time 11 a.m. PST Distance 6K Teams GNAC conference Results msubsports.com --@MSUBSports | #JacketNation--