2007 Bearcats Cross Country

Page �

Willamette Cross Country 2007

Bearcats

General Information

Location....................................................... Salem,.OregonFounded......................................................................... 1842Enrollment..............1,943.Undergraduate;.2,628.OverallPresident.................................................Dr..M..Lee.PeltonDean.of .Campus.Life.................Dr..Robert.HawkinsonFaculty.Athletic.Representative........................ Jerry.GrayDirector.of .Athletics....................................Mark.MajeskiNickname................................................................BearcatsColors.............................................Cardinal.and.Old.GoldNational Affiliation............................NCAA.Division.IIIConference......................Northwest.Conference.(NWC)Assistant.Athletic.Director.......................... Judy.GordonAssistant.Athletic.Director..............Dr..R..Skip.KenitzerAdministrative.Assistant.............................. Leslie.WrightHead.Athletic.Trainer.....................................Shane.WibelAssistant.Athletic.Trainer............................. Erin.ScharerAssistant.Athletic.Trainer.................................Ken.SmithTeam.Physician................................... Dr..David.ThorsettAthletics.Marketing.Coord.................... Megan.JohnstonAthletics.Comm..Director...................Robert.McKinneyAthletics.Comm..Phone............................ (503).370-6110Athletics.Comm..E-mail....... [email protected]................... (503).370-6420Athletics.Department.FAX...................... (503).370-6379Athletics.Web.Site.............www.willamette.edu/athletics

Table of ContentsGeneral.Information.........................................................1Academic.Honors.and.Awards........................................2Charles.Bowles.Invitational..............................................3.Willamette.University.................................................... 2-3Willamette.Administration................................................4Athletics.Department........................................................4Athletic.Facilities................................................................5Willamette.Sports.Medicine.............................................62007.Season.Outlook........................................................7Head.Coach.Matt.McGuirk..............................................8Assistant.Coaches...............................................................9Men’s.Cross.Country.Athletes................................. 10-12Men’s.Cross.Country.History.........................................13Women’s.Cross.Country.Athletes............................ 14-15Women’s.Cross.Country.History...................................16City.of .Salem....................................................................18Northwest.Conference/NCAA.Division.III...............192006.Season.Review................................................20-IBC2007.Willamette.Schedule..........................................OBC

Willamette General Information

Credits:. .The.2007.Willamette.University.Cross.Country.Media.Guide.was.written.and.edited.by.Robert.McKinney,. athletics.comm..director,.with.assistance.from.Neil.Patel,.assistant.athletics.comm..director..Photos:..Front.Cover.—.Sarah.Zerzan.(left).and.Ian.Batch. (right).helped.Willamette.win.NWC.and.NCAA.Regional. titles. the.past. four.years;. Inside.Basck.Cover.—.Top:The. WU. women’s. team. at. the. 2007. NCAA. Championships;. Middle. (L. to. R):. . Josh. Clough,. Ashley. Sharratt,. Lucas. Nebert,.Jena.Winger;. Bottom:.The.WU. men’s. team. at. the. 2007.NCAA. National. Championships;. Back. Cover. —. Willamette.women’s.runners start a race. Cover Photos by Naomi Stukey and Christopher Sabato. Inside Photos by Stukey, Sabato, and the WU Office of . Communications..Design:. General. design. by. McKinney;. Cover,. Inside. Cover. and. Inside. Back. Cover. designed. by. Sabato.Printing:..K/P,.Inc.

WillametteHead CoachMatt McGuirkwas namedNCAA Div. IIIWomen’s Track and Field National Coach ofthe Year thispast spring. He has been chosen NCAA West Region Coach of the Year three times inmen’s crosscountry andfour times in women’s cross country.

Bearcat Cross CountryQuick Facts

Head.Coach............................................Matt.McGuirk Office Phone...................................(503).370-6898Seasons.as.WU.Head.Coach.......................... 4th.yearAlma.Mater.................................. U..of .Oregon,.1988Assistant.Coach.......................................... Brett.Franz Office Phone...................................(503).370-6934Assistant.Coach............................Christopher.Sabato Office Phone...................................(503).370-6803Cross.Country.Course.................Bush’s.Pasture.ParkFinish.Location............Charles.Bowles.Track.(2,400)

NCAA West Region Championships Men — 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 Women — 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007NWC Championships Men — 1963, 1968, 1970, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1993, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 Women — 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007

Page �


Bearcats

Academic Awards and Honors

. Bearcat. sophomore. runner. Chris. Platanois. one. of . two. Willamette. students. named. a.Kemper. Scholar. in. 2007.. The. Kemper. Scholarprogram. is. sponsored. by. the. James. S.. Kemper.Foundation to reward first-year college students interested.in.careers.in.business.or.management..The.program’s.mission.is.to.prepare.students.for.leadership. and. service..Willamette. is. one.of . 15small.colleges.involved.in.the.program.. Platano. will. receive. an. annual. scholarshipof $3,000–$8,000 during his final three years atWU..He.also.will. receive.stipends.to.use.during.two summer internships — one at a nonprofit organization. in.Chicago,. Ill.,. and. the.other. at. alocation.of .his.choice.

Sarah ZerzanNCAA

Today’s Top VIII1st TeamAcademic

All-America

. Willamette.distance.runner.Travis.Harris.‘07.was. named. Second. Team. ESPN The MagazineCollege. Division. Academic. All-America. during2006-07..He.competed.for.WU.in.cross.country.. Harris. earned. Second. Team. All-NorthwestConference. honors. in. 2006. with. a. 14th. place.finish at the Northwest Conference Meet. He was. named. All-West. Region. after. taking. 10thplace.at.the.2006.West.Regional.Meet.. Athletes. chosen. for. Academic. All-America.recognition.achieved.GPAs.of .3.2.or.higher..The.College. Division. included. NCAA. II,. NCAA. IIand.the.NAIA.

. Sarah.Zerzan.has.been.chosen.as.one.of .justeight. seniors. nationwide. to. receive. the. NCAA.Today’s. Top. VIII. Award. for. fall. 2007.. Criteriafor. the. honor. included. athletics. and. academicachievement,. character. and. leadership.. She. willreceive. the.prestigious.award.during. the.NCAAConvention,.Jan..13,.2008.in.Nashville,.Tenn.. Zerzan. also. was. named. First. Team. ESPN The Magazine. College. Division. Academic. All-America in track and field and cross countryfor. the. 2006-07. academic. year.. In. 2006-07,. shewon. the. NCAA. Division. III. women’s. crosscountry. individual. national. championship. andplaced. second. at. the. NCAA. Track. and. FieldNational.Championships.in.the.5,000-meter.run... In. the. fall. of . 2007,. Zerzan. repeated. as. theNCAA.Division. III.national. champion. in.crosscountry..She.also.won.her. third.straight.NCAAWest. Regional. title. and. her. second. consecutiveNorthwest.Conference.championship.. Zerzan. is. completing. a. major. in. Chemsitry.(Biochemistry. track).. She.has. a. 3.93. cumulativegrade.point.average.

Chris Platano

KemperScholar

Travis Harris

2nd TeamAcademic

All-America

Sarah Zerzan (left) and Maddie Coffmanearned All-America honors in �007.

Page �


Bearcats

Charles Bowles Invitational

. Willamette.University.hosts.one.of .the.largest.college.cross.country.meets.west. of . the. Mississipi. River. each. year.with. the. Charles. Bowles. Invitational..In. 2007,. the.Bearcats. hosted. the. 33rd.annual. event. named. after. long-timeWillamette.head.coach.Charles.Bowles... The WU track and field facility atMcCulloch. Stadium. was. named. afterBowles, who was a fixture at WU for over.50.years..Until.he.passed.away. in.December,. 2005,. Bowles. remained. a.part. of . the. Willamette. cross. country.and track and field teams, often riding on.the.bus.with.squad.members.to.competitions..Bowles.will.be.sorely.missed,.but.his.legacy.liveson.in.one.of .the.nation’s.most.respected.meets.. This.season,.the.33rd.Annual.Charles.BowlesInvitational. was. one. of . largest. ever,. with. morethan. 1,100. collegiate. entries. and. roughly. 1,350.entries.overall..More.than.200.athletes.ran.in.thenewly-added. high. school. races.. The. meet. has.remained. special. for. participants. and. continues.to. be. large,. despite. meets. hosted. on. the. sameday.by.Stanford.and.the.University.of .Oregon.

Willamette runners are set for the start of the CharlesBowles Invitational, one of the largest meets in the West.

. There. are. four. college. races.. The. Cardinal.Races. include.entries. from.NCAA.Division.III,.NCAA. Division. II. and. the. NAIA.. The. GoldRaces. feature. NCAA. Division. I,. junior. collegeand.club.teams,.plus.unattached.runners... Each.event.features.nationally-ranked.teams..This. year,. top. teams. are. Willamette,. Portland,.Washington,.Alaska-Anchorage,.St..John’s.(Minn.),Lewis-Clark.(Idaho),.Aquinas.(Mich.),.Concordia.(Calif.),.Eastern.Oregon,.British.Columbia,.PointLoma.Nazarene.and.Northwest.(Wash.).

33rd Annual Charles Bowles InvitationalCollegiate EntriesOver 1,100Women’s Team ChampionWillametteMen’s Team ChampionWillamette

Women’s Individual ChampionSarah Zerzan, WillametteMen’s Individual ChampionChris Erichson, St. John’s (Minn.)High School EntriesOver 200

Page �


Bearcats

About Willamette University

Willamette University, the first university.in.the.West,.has.a.heritagedating. to. its. founding. in. 1842..Students. and. employees. are. proud.of .its.academic.strength,.as.well.as.its.beautiful. campus.. Academic. success.is. typical. for. students. at.Willamette..More. importantly,. faculty. and. staff .are. concerned. about. the. overall.success.of .each.student,.so.the.focus.is not only on quality experiences in. the. classroom,. but. also. on. social.and. cultural. development.. Students.are expected to work hard in their academic endeavors and are also expected to have fun,.be. active. in. the. community. and.bring.their.own.personality.to.everything.they.do.

. We’re. proud. of . our. students’. academic.abilities.. We’re. also. proud. of . our. studentsas. friends,. neighbors. and. fellow. citizens..They. have. found. an. ideal. match. between.high-level.academics.and.a.variety.of .quality.experiences as members of the community. They exemplify the University motto: “Notunto.ourselves.alone.are.we.born.”

Why Willamette?• Quality Academics• Student-Athletes are more than �/� of the student body• Competition in the NCAA and the Northwest Conference• Student-Faculty Ratio of ��:�• Students from �� States• Opportunity to Study Abroad • Located across the street from the Oregon State Capitol• NearthePacificCoastandthe Cascade Mountains

. This.motto.is.put.into.action.locally.andthroughout. the. world.. At. Willamette,. youcan.study.abroad,.as.many.of .our.studentsdo.each.year..Our.students.also.are.actively.involved.in.social.and.environmental.issues..They. are. concerned. about. maintaining. the.beautiful.Oregon. landscape,.while.workingto.improve.the.lives.of .others.. And. so,. while. Willamette. has. the. sameacademic expectations as the nation’s mostacclaimed.colleges.and.universities,.we.hopewe’ve added something extra ... an equally important. focus. outside. the. classroom..Attending. college. should. be. fun,. inspiring.and. at. times. invigorating.. It. should. bothchallenge.you.and.make.you.laugh.. Academically,.Willamette.has.the.College.of . Liberal. Arts,. the. College. of . Law,. the.George. H.. Atkinson. Graduate. School. of .Management,.and.the.School.of .Education..Cooperative.programs.enable.all.students.tobenefit from the quality curriculum.. Willamette. is. known. for. its. intellectual.vitality,. its. cohesive.campus.community,. its.concern.for.every.student,.and.its.ability.to.balance. a. rigorous. academic. program. withvaried extracurricular activities. The faculty

The Mill Race, which runs through campus,is a great place for students to relax.

Page �


Bearcats

About Willamette University

and. staff .bring.a.wide. range.of .views.andexperiences to the the campus. Willamette’s student-faculty. ratio. of . 11:1. allows. faculty.to maintain ample office hours and to serve as. advisors.. They. are. engaged. in. scholarly.research and publish their findings, but theyare.primarily.focused.on.teaching.. Willamette.is.selective.and.seeks.seriousand talented students. The average first-yearstudent. has. a. 3.76. GPA,. an. SAT. score. of1230.and.an.ACT.score.of .27..Enrollmentat. the. undergraduate. level. is. 1,943,. with. a.total.enrollment.of .2,628..About.95.percentof Willamette students receive financial aid and.scholarships..Many. students.choose. toattend.graduate.or.professional.school.

Willamette has a reputation for financial stability.. Its. endowment. consistently. earnsa.spot.among. the. largest. in. the.Northwestand.compares.favorably.on.a.national.basis.The. campus. features. 42. buildings. on. 61acres.. During. the. past. decade,. more. than$50. million. has. been. invested. on. campus..Administrative offices, academic buildings, residence. halls. and. recreational. facilities.have.been.renovated.or.refurbished..Recentprojects. include. the. $5.5. million. HallieFord.Museum.of .Art,. the.$8.million.MaryStuart. Rogers. Music. Center,. and. the. $2.7.million. Montag. Student. Center.. Work. has.recently. been. completed. on. Willamette’s$14.million.Kaneko.Commons.

At Willamette, you canliterally walk across the

street to the State Capitol or spend an entire semesterstudying your major in a

foreign country.

The Oregon State Capitol is located acrossthe street from Willamette University.

. Salem,. the. state. capital,. is. the. second-largest. city. in. Oregon,. with. a. populationof about 147,000. The Pacific Coast is just about an hour away and the Pacific Coast mountain. range. is. even. closer..To. the. east.are. the. Cascade. Mountains,. lakes,. streams.and.rivers..Also.within.driving.distance.are.Portland,. the. Columbia. River. gorge. andMount.Hood. Willamette benefits from its location across. the. street. from. the. Oregon. State.Capitol. and. from.being.near.other. federal,.state, county, and city offices. In particular, Willamette. students. are. often. chosen. forinternships.with.government.organizations..Students.also.participate.in.the.Community.Outreach. Program. through. a. variety. ofvolunteer.service.projects.

Page �


Bearcats

2007 Season Review

Willamette University senior runner Sarah Zerzan won her second consecutive title at theNCAA Division III National Championships, held at St. Olaf College (Minn.) on Saturday,Nov. 17, 2007. Zerzan also took first place atthe National Championships in 2006. She concluded her cross country careerwith two NCAA national titles, three West Region championships and two NWC titles.She earned All-America honors three times. Zerzan and teammate Maddie Coffman (Jr.) earned All-America recognition, as they led the Bearcat women’s team to a ninth place finish. Coffman placed 11th individually. Thetop 35 runners received All-America honors. The Willamette men’s team tied for 18th. Ian Batch (Sr.) was WU’s top finisher in 67thplace out of 280 runners. Zerzan earned her second national title bycrossing the finish line in the 6-kilometer racein 20:54. She was the only runner under 21:00. “She just went out and ran hard until there was nobody else with her, which is what she’s done for the last two years,” Willamette HeadCoach Matt McGuirk said. “At about the nine or 10-minute mark she made her move,” McGuirk added. “With about 1,500 meters to go, she had a 12-second lead and nearly doubled her lead the rest of the way to win by 23 seconds. She just ran hard andwas the best runner today.” When did Zerzan know she had won hersecond consecutive national title? “Not until I finished. I knew I had a lead, but I didn’t really know how secure it was,”Zerzan recalled. Zerzan became only the third athlete to repeat as the NCAA Division III women’s national champion. She received All-Americastatus for the third year in a row. Coffman finished just six seconds out of the top 10 and passed several other runners to

finish the race in 21:43. With about 300 metersleft, Coffman was in 16th or 17th place. “She passed a lot of people,” McGuirk said about Coffman. “This season, she has beateneverybody who’s been around her at the finish.” After completing the race, Zerzan had a chance to watch Coffman approach the finish line. Zerzan was thrilled to see Coffman surgetoward the front of the pack. “I waited for Maddie,” Zerzan said. “When I saw her coming, I started to jump up and down. She always passes people at the finishand she did it again. It’s just so amazing to see.” Willamette’s Jena Winger (Jr.) placed 126th out of 280 entries with a time of 23:10. Edith Polanco (Jr.) also clocked in at 23:10 and was128th. Ashley Sharratt (Jr.) was 153rd in 23:18. Batch recorded his best finish during fourappearances at the National Championships. He ran the course in 25:35. Lucas May (So.)was WU’s second finisher at 25:50 for 103rdplace. Taylor Roholt (So.) was 117th at 25:55.

Zerzan Wins Second Consecutive National TitleWU Women Place 9th at National Championships, Men Tie for �8th

Sarah Zerzan (left) moves past a runner atthe NCAA Championships this fall.

Page 7


Bearcats

2007 Season Review

Phone 503-391-9848Fax 503-391-5265

Proud Sponsors ofWillamette Athletics

Also contributing to the Willamette team score were Tristan Knutson-Lombardo (Jr.) andLucas Nebert (Sr.). Knutson-Lombardo placed 128th with a time of 25:57. Nebert achieved atime of 26:18 to finish 189th. “Our top four guys were within 22 seconds of each other,” McGuirk said about the WUmen’s team. “They were very close to 10th place, but they finished tied for 18th. They hadan exceptional season.”

Willamette Wins Regional Titles Prior to competing at Nationals, both teamswon NCAA West Regional titles. It was the sixth consecutive Regional championship for the men and the fifth in a row for the women. Zerzan won the women’s individual title atthe West Regional, as she finished in 20:51.65to claim her third straight regional crown. Shewas followed by Coffman in 2nd place, whileWinger took 9th. All seven of WU’s runnersearned All-Region honors with 5 in the top 20. For the men, Batch was fifth with a time of25:04.65 (8K). May was seventh and Nebert was eighth. The ‘Cats placed all seven runnersin the top 20 for a sweep of All-Region honors.

WU Extends NWC Winning Streaks Both WU teams extended their conference winning streaks. The men’s team earned its 7thNWC title in a row, while the women’s teamfinished first for the 6th consecutive year. Zerzan recorded her second straight NWCtitle. She won with a time of 20:36.01. Zerzan

and Coffman, who took second, were namedFirst Team All-NWC. Second Team All-NWCselections were Winger in ninth, Carly Killam(Sr.) in 13th and Sharratt in 14th. Knutson-Lombardo won the NWC men’stitle with a time of 25:00.34. Batch finished second, Taylor Roholt (So.) was third and Josh Clough (Jr.) was sixth. All four received First Team All-NWC honors. Earning Second TeamAll-NWC finishes were May in ninth, Nebertin 10th and Kyle Kotaich (So.) in 14th.

Charles Bowles Victories for WU Willamette hosted the 33rd Annual CharlesBowles Invitational, one of the nation’s largestcollegiate meets, and won both the men’s andwomen’s team titles. Zerzan took first place in the Women’s 5K Cardinal Race in 17:20.15 forher second straight Charles Bowles victory.

Ian Batch (middle left) competed for WU infour straight NCAA Championship Meets.

Page 8


Bearcats

. Matt.McGuirk.is.in.his.fourth.year.as.the.head coach of cross country and his fifthyear. as. head. coach. of. track and field atWillamette.University.... Prior. to.becoming.head. coach. in. 2004,.McGuirk. led. the.men’s.cross.country. teamfor five seasons. He also was the team’s top assistant. coach. and. recruiting. coordinator.from.1999-03..His.ability.to.recruit.student-

athletes.who.succeed.both.as. students. andas. athletes. has. led. to. the. largest. and. mostsuccessful.teams.in.school.history.. In. 2002. and.2004,. the.WU.men’s. teamearned fifth place finishes at the NCAAChampionships..Sarah.Zerzan.of .WU.won.back-to-back.individual.national.titles.at.the.NCAA. Championships. in. 2006. and. 2007..The.WU.women’s.team.placed.ninth.in.the.NCAA.during.the.2004.and.2007.seasons.. McGuirk. was. named. NWC. Coach. of .the.Year. in.both.men’s. and.women’s. crosscountry. in. 2004. and. 2007..He. also. earned

Contact Coach McGuirkOffice Phone: (503) 370-6898E-Mail:[email protected]

“Willamette is the ideal place for a student who is looking for high quality academics and athletics. It’s my honest belief that if an individual chooses Willamette and decides to be successful in and out of the classroom, the opportunity will be provided. The philosophy of my staff is to simply impart the best advice, information and opportunities to allow student-athletes to be great in whatever they want to achieve.” — Matt McGuirk Willamette Head Coach

NWC. Coach. of . the. Year. honors. in. men’scross.country.in.2001,.2003,.2005.and.2006... McGuirk. led. both. cross. country. teamsto.NWC.titles. in.2007.—.the.men. for. the.seventh.consecutive.season.and.the.women.for the sixth year in a row. WU also won the. NCAA. West. Regional. men’s. title. for.the sixth straight season and took the West Regional. women’s. championship. for. thefifth consecutive year. . McGuirk. has. guided. the.men’s. team. tothe. NCAA. Championships. seven. years. ina. row,. with. the. women. qualifying. each. ofthe. past. four. seasons.. He. was. an. assistantcoach when the women qualified in 2003.. Since. he. has. been. at. WU,. both. teams.have.earned.All-Academic.status.every.year.The.award.requires.at.least.a.3.1.team.GPA. As Willamette’s track and field coach, McGuirk. led. the. men’s. team. to. a. tie. for.third. place. at. the. NCAA. Track. and. Field.Championships. in. 2004,. giving. Willamette.its first NCAA trophy in school history. The. WU. men’s. team. took. fourth. place. atthe.NCAA.Championships.in.2005.

West Region Men’sCoach of the Year2001,.2003,.2005

West Region Women’sCoach of the Year2004,.2005,.2006,.2007

NWC Men’sCoach of the Year2001,.2003,.2004,.2005,.2006,.2007

NWC Women’sCoach of the Year2004,.2007

Head Coach Matt McGuirk

McGuirk-Coached TeamsYear Men’s Team2001. NCAA.-.7th.2002. NCAA.-.5th2003. NCAA.-.12th. Women’s Team2004. NCAA.-.5th. NCAA.-.9th.2005. NCAA.-.16th. NCAA.-.14th2006. NCAA.-.27th. NCAA.-.20th*2007. NCAA.-.18th.(tie). NCAA.-.9th**.Sarah.Zerzan.individual.National.ChampionMcGuirk’s NWC ChampionshipsMen.-.2001,.2002,.2003,.2004,.2005,.2006,.2007Women.-.2004,.2005,.2006,.2007McGuirk’s West Region ChampionshipsMen.-.2002,.2003,.2004,.2005,.2006,.2007Women.-.2004,.2005,.2006,.2007

Page 9


Bearcats

. Christopher. Sabato. returns. to. the. WUBearcats. for. his. third. year. as. an. assistant.coach.. He. works. with. the. cross. countryteams. as. well. as. the. distance. group,. pole.vaulters,. sprinters. and. jumpers. during. thetrack and field season.. Before. arriving. at. Willamette,. Sabato.spent. two. full. years. at. Rhodes. Collegein.Memphis,.Tenn..At.Rhodes,.he.coachedsprinters. and. jumpers,. including. severalAll-Conference. athletes. and. a. handful. ofNCAA Division III national qualifiers.. Sabato. attended. Alfred. University. inAlfred,. N.Y.,. where. he. graduated. in. 2002with. a. degree. in. electrical. engineering.. Asa. student-athlete. at. Alfred,. he. participatedin track and field, and competed in thesprint.events,.as.well.as. the. long. jump.and.the.pole. vault..He. earned.All-State.honorsthree. times. as. a. pole. vaulter. in. the. New.York.State.Collegiate.Track.Conference..His.athletic and coaching experiences continueto.provide.a.positive.impact.on.the.Bearcat.cross country and track and field teams asthey.practice.and.compete.

. Brett. Franz. is. in. his. second. year. as. anassistant. coach. on. the. WU. coaching. staff.In. 2005-06,. prior. to. joining. the. Bearcats,he. served. as. the. head. men’s. and. women’s.cross. country. coach. and. distance. coach. atLindenwood.University.in.St..Charles,.Mo.. Under. his. direction,. the. Lindenwood.men’s. cross. country. team. placed. third. atthe.NAIA.Championships.and.the.women’scross.country.team.placed.15th..During.hisyear. at.Lindenwood,.he.coached.an.NAIA.individual.national.champion.in.men’s.cross.country,.plus.champions.in.the.indoor.mileand.the.outdoor.10,000-meter.run.. Franz. coached. a. total. of . eight. NAIA.All-Americans. in. 2005-06.. He. was. named.trackbrain.com’s. NAIA. National. Assistant.Coach. of . the. Year. for. Indoor. Track. and.Field.. He. was. selected. Heart. of . America.Athletic. Conference. and. NAIA. Region. VCoach.of .the.Year.in.men’s.cross.country.. Franz. received. a. master’s. degree. in.Athletic.Administration. from.Lindenwood.He. earned. a. bachelor’s. degree. in. Businessfrom.Western.Oregon.University.

Brett FranzAssistant Coach

Christopher SabatoAssistant Coach

Contact Coach FranzOffice Phone: (503) 370-6934E-Mail:[email protected]

Contact Coach Sabato Office Phone: (503) 370-6903E-Mail:[email protected]

Bearcat Assistant Coaches

Page �0


Bearcats

Asa Acuna-SanchezHometown:Myrtle.Point,.Ore.High School:Myrtle.PointYear:FreshmanMajor:Undecided

Ian BatchHometown:Eagle,.IdahoHigh School:CapitalYear:SeniorMajor:Rhetoric.&.Media.Studies

James CebronHometown:Woodinville,.Wash.High School:WoodinvilleYear:FreshmanMajor:Undecided

Josh CloughHometown:Auburn,.Wash.High School:Auburn.RiversideYear:JuniorMajor:Sociology

Austin KnutsonHometown:Portland,.Ore.High School:GrantYear:SophomoreMajor:Psychology

Alex DuplerHometown:Seattle,.Wash.High School:Nathan.HaleYear:FreshmanMajor:Chemistry

Bill GaleHometown:Anchorage,.AlaskaHigh School:Robert.ServiceYear:JuniorMajor:Politics.and.Spanish

Alex JimenezHometown:Parkdale,.Ore.High School:Hood.River.ValleyYear:JuniorMajor:Sociology

TristanKnutson-LombardoHometown: Juneau,.AlaskaHigh School:Juneau-DouglasYear: JuniorMajor: AmericanEthnic.Studies

Kyle KotaichHometown:Florence,.Ore.High School:SiuslawYear:SophomoreMajor:Physics

The Bearcat Men’s Team

Page ��


Bearcats

Jonathan LanningHometown:Springfield, Ore.High School:ThurstonYear:FreshmanMajor:Undecided

Lucas MayHometown:Portland,.Ore.High School:FranklinYear:SophomoreMajor:Economics

Ryan McLaughlinHometown:Milwaukie,.Ore.High School:MilwaukieYear:FreshmanMajor:Undecided

Steven MillardHometown:Port.Orchard,.Wash.High School:South.KitsapYear:SeniorMajor:Biology

Tucker MottlHometown:Powell.Butte,.Ore.High School:Crook.CountyYear:FreshmanMajor:Undecided

Lucas NebertHometown:Cincinnati,.OhioHigh School:WyomingYear:SeniorMajor:Biology/Chemistry

Doug NeillHometown:Pleasant.Hill,.Ore.High School:Pleasant.HillYear:SophomoreMajor:Physics/Spanish


Lucas Nebert took eighth place at the WestRegional in �007 and was ��th in �00�. Hewas named All-Region twice.

Page ��


Bearcats

Matt ParkerHometown:Portland,.Ore.High School:LincolnYear:FreshmanMajor:Undecided

Kellen PetersHometown:Forest.Grove,.Ore.High School:..Forest.GrovePrev. College: Pacific Univ.Year:JuniorMajor:Anthropology

Chris PlatanoHometown:Myrtle.Point,.Ore.High School:Myrtle.PointYear:SophomoreMajor:Economics

Nick RebolHometown:Cottonwood,.Calif.High School:Red.BluffYear:FreshmanMajor:Undecided

Stefan RedfieldHometown:Sisters,.Ore.High School:SistersYear:FreshmanMajor:Rhetoric.and.Media.Studies

Taylor RoholtHometown:Albuquerque,.N.M.High School:Sandia.PrepYear:SophomoreMajor:French

Nathan SmithHometown:Colorado.Springs,.Colo.High School:Air.AcademyYear:FreshmanMajor:Undecided

Matt WeisbardHometown:Wimette,.Ill.High School:New.Trier.TownshipYear: SophomoreMajor:French/International.Studies


Tristan Knutson-Lombardo runs for WU atthe NCAA National Championships in �007.

Page ��


Bearcats

Men’s 4 Miles 1 Dan Hall 19:29.0 1975 2 Dave Fleming 19:32.0 1979 3 Aaron Young 19:34.4 2002 4 Jacob Stout 19:36.1 2003 5 Rick LaGreide 19:41.0 1979 6 Rick Groenendaal 19:42.0 1983 7 Terry Zerzan 19:43.0 1976 8 Robbie Wright 19:45.0 1983 9 Ian Batch 19:47.7 2006 10 Nick Symmonds 19:49.0 2002

Men’s 5 miles (8K) 1 Dan Hall 24:02.7 1975 2 Aaron Hollingshead 24:24.3 2004 3 Aaron Young 24:24.4 2002 4 Jacob Stout 24:24.9 2001 5 David Fleming 24:26.1 1979 6 Kevin O’Connor 24:28.7 1983 7 Rick Groenendaal 24:29.0 1981 8 Ian Batch 24:30.7 2006 9 Rick LaGreide 24:35.1 1979 10 Robbie Wright 24:37.6 1983

NWC Team Champions (18)1963, 1968, 1970, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979,1980, 1981, 1982, 1993, 2001, 2002, 2003,2004, 2005, 2006, 2007

NWC Individual Champions (21)Tristan Knutson-Lombardo (2007)Ian Batch (2006)Nick Symmonds (2005)Aaron Hollingshead (2004)Jacob Stout (2003)Aaron Young (2002, 2000)Andy Libert (1986)Rob MacGinnittie (1985)Rick Groenendaal (1982, 1981)David Johnson (1980)Dave Flemming (1978, 1979)Tery Zerzan (1977, 1974)Dan Hall (1975, 1973)Don Johnson (1970)Gary Purpura (1969)Wes Armstrong (1964)

NickSymmonds

NorthwestConference Champion

�00�

Bearcat Men’s Team History

NCAA West Region Champions (6)2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007

NCAA All Americans (6)Aaron Hollingshead (2004)Jacob Stout (2001, 2002, 2003) Aaron Young (2001, 2002)

Willamette Top 10 Lists

Northwest Conference Titles

NCAA Titles and Awards

IanBatch


�00�

TristanKnutson-Lombardo


�007

Page ��


Bearcats

Katrina BrettHometown:Longview,.Wash.High School:Mark.MorrisYear:SeniorMajor:Japanese.Studies

Maddie CoffmanHometown:Boise,.IdahoHigh School:BoiseYear:JuniorMajor:Biology

Mara EngleHometown:Bellingham,.Wash.High School:BellinghamYear:JuniorMajor:Anthropology

Ciara GonzalezHometown:Los.Angeles,.Calif.High School:Flintridge.PrepYear:SophomoreMajor:Undecided

Molly LewisHometown:Gig.Harbor,.Wash.High School:Gig.HarborYear:SophomoreMajor:Spanish

Megan HorningHometown:Page,.Ariz.High School:PageYear:FreshmanMajor:Undecided

Kendra KennedyHometown:Anchorage,.AlaskaHigh School:Robert.ServiceYear:FreshmanMajor:Economics

Carly KillamHometown:Kailua,.HawaiiHigh School:PunahouYear:SeniorMajor:Exercise Science

Ali MakiHometown:Shoreview,.Minn.High School:Mounds.ViewYear:JuniorMajor:Art.History/Spanish

Melissa OstermickHometown:Talkeetna,.AlaskaHigh School:Susitna.ValleyYear:SeniorMajor:Biology

The Bearcat Women’s Team

Page ��


Bearcats

Tina PatelHometown:Bend,.Ore.High School:SummitYear:FreshmanMajor:Chemistry.(Biochemistry)

Edith PolancoHometown:Salem,.Ore.High School:McKayYear:JuniorMajor:Spanish/Sociology

Ashley SharrattHometown:Union,.Ore.High School:UnionYear:JuniorMajor:History

Maya VelezHometown:Oakland,.Calif.High School:SkylineYear:SophomoreMajor:Exercise Science

Hannah VietmeierHometown:Shoreline,.Wash.High School:ShorewoodYear:SophomoreMajor:Biology

Jena WingerHometown:Bonney.Lake,.Wash.High School:SumnerYear:JuniorMajor:Exercise Science

Sarah ZerzanHometown:San.Carlos,.Calif.High School:Notre.DameYear:SeniorMajor:Chemistry.(Biochemistry)

The Bearcat Women’s Team

In �007, Maddie Coffman moved into second on WU’s Top �0 list for �K. She took ��th at the NCAA National Championships and wasrunner-up at Regionals and the NWC Meet.

Page ��


Bearcats

Women’s 5K 1 Sarah Zerzan 16.49.4 2006 2 Kara Crisifulli 17:27.0 1985 3 Beth Fitzgerald 17:28.8 1999 4 Danya Rumore 17:36.9 2004 5 Maddie Coffman 17:50.25 2007 6 Jena Winger 17:55.42 2007 7 Kari Holbert 17:57.4 2004 8 Nattalie Wright 18:13.8 2000 9 Liz Rodda 18:20.7 2001 10 Kristen Peterson 18:22.0 1986Women’s 6K 1 Sarah Zerzan 20:32.7 2006 2 Maddie Coffman 21:05.80 2007 3 Danya Rumore 21:28.3 2004 4 Kari Holbert 21:41.9 2003 5 Jena Winger 22:00.67 2007 6 Elizabeth Hart 22:14.9 2006 7 Natalie Muren 22:25.0 2003 8 Carly Killam 22:27.46 2007 9 Ashley Sharratt 22:28.29 200710 Edith Polanco 22:30.58 2007

NCAA West Region Champions (5)2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007NCAA West Region Individual Champions (3)Sarah Zerzan (2005, 2006, 2007)NCAA All Americans (7)Sarah Zerzan (2005, 2006, 2007), Maddie Coffman (2007), Kari Holbert (2003, 2004), Beth Fitzgerald (1999)

Bearcat Women’s Team History

NWC Team Champions (7)2007, 2006, 2005, 2004,2003, 2002, 2000

NWC Individual Champions (6)Sarah Zerzan (2006, 2007)Kari Holbert (2002)Beth Fitzgerald (1999)Kara Crisifulli (1984, 1985)

MaddieCoffman

All-American�007

Sarah ZerzanNWC Champion

�00�, �007NCAA

Regional Champion�00�, �00�, �007

NCAANational Champion

�00�, �007All-American

�00�, �00�, �007

Northwest Conference Titles NCAA Titles and Awards

50% off tour admissionwith this ad.

- expires 6/30/08 -

Willamette Top 10 Lists

Page �7


Bearcats

WU Athletic Facilities

. The. Charles. Bowles. Track,. located. insideMcCulloch. Stadium,. is. an. all-weather. facilitythat showcases the finish line when WillametteUniversity. is. the. host. for. cross. country. meets..In. 2006,. Willamette. hosted. the. Charles. Bowles.Invitational.for.the.32nd.year..In.2005,.the.’Cats.hosted. the. Northwest. Conference. and. NCAA.Regional.meets..The.track.also.is.home.to.WU’shighly-regarded track and field teams.. Ogdahl. Field. at. McCulloch. Stadium. is. thehome field for the Willamette football team. Itis. one. of . the. top. NCAA. Division. III. facilitiesin. the. Northwest.. It. has. the. atmosphere. of . an.old.stadium,.but.has.a.FieldTurf .playing.surface,.spacious.locker.rooms.and.meeting.rooms.. Located. near. McCulloch. Stadium. is. Roy. S.“Spec” Keene Stadium at John Lewis Field, thehome.of .Bearcat.baseball..The.stadium.features.chairback.seating. in.part.of . the.grandstand.andan.overall.capacity.of .1,000... The.entire.football,.track,.cross.country.and.baseball complex is adjacent to Bush’s Pasture Park..The.park.hosts.cross.country.meets.on.its.wide paths and also is known for its art exhibits,rose garden, trees and expanses of open land.. McCulloch. Stadium. is. located. two. blocks.from.the.Willamette.campus.and.just.one.blockfrom. Salem. Hospital.. The. stadium. seats. about.2,400. fans. and. has. lights. for. night. games.. The.stadium.also. includes. an. athletic. training. room,.which. allows. Willamette. athletes. to. receive. on-site.attention.and.treatment.

. Located.in.the.Lestle.J..Sparks.Center.on.the.main campus are offices for the Department of Athletics,.classrooms.and.basketball.courts..The.Sparks Center also includes the offices of theDepartment of Exercise Science, plus locker

rooms,. handball. and. racquetball. courts,. and. aweight lifting and fitness center.. Attached.to.the.Sparks.Center.is.Cone.FieldHouse,.where.men’s.and.women’s.basketball.andvolleyball.play..The.arena.seats.2,500.fans.. Also. connected. to. the. Sparks. Center. is. the.WU. natatorium,. home. of . Bearcat. swimming.The. natatorium,. with. space. for. 200. fans,. alsomay.be.seen.from.a.viewing.area.in.the.lobby.. Near. the. Sparks. Center. is. Sparks. Field,. an.artificial turf facility for men’s and women’s soccer.. Sparks. Field. is. equipped. with. lights. fornight.games.and.seats.500.spectactors.. Close.to.the.Sparks.Center.and.Sparks.Fieldare six outdoor tennis courts. The men’s andwomen’s. tennis. teams. host. meets. during. thespring.each.year.. On.the.east.side.of .campus.is.the.WillametteSoftball Complex. It includes covered dugouts,batting.cages,.a.scoreboard.and.bleachers.. The. WU. men’s. and. women’s. golf . teams.usually. practice. at. Illahe. Hills. Country. Club. orCreekside. Golf . Club.. Members. of . the. men’s.and. women’s. rowing. teams. have. their. ownboathouse.and.hold.workouts.on.the.WillametteRiver.in.downtown.Salem..

Competitorsandfansgathernearthefinishline at the Charles Bowles Track.

The Sparks Center is the home for Bearcatbasketball, volleyball and swimming.

Page �8


Bearcats

Willamette Administration

. Dr.. M.. Lee. Pelton. was. appointed. the. 22nd. president. of . Willamette.University.in.July,.1999..Under.Pelton’s.leadership,.the.University.has.increased.its academic profile, successfully employing strategies to attract the best faculty and.the.brightest.students.from.the.state,.the.nation.and.the.world..Since.2001,.Willamette. University. has. been. ranked. a. top. tier. liberal. arts. college. by. U.S..News. and. World. Report.. President. Pelton. holds. a. doctorate. from. Harvard.University. and. an. undergraduate. degree. in. English. and. psychology. from.Wichita.State.University,.where.he.graduated.magna.cum. laude. in.1974..His.area. of . academic. focus. is. 19th. century. British. prose. and. poetry.. He. served.

as.dean.of .the.college.at.Colgate.University.(1988-91).and.Dartmouth.College.(1991-98)..At.Harvard,.he.taught. in. the.English.Department.and.was. the.dean.of .one.of .Harvard’s.13.undergraduate.colleges..He.teaches.at.Willamette.in.subjects.ranging.from.1st.century.Athens.to.post-apartheid.South.Africa.

. Mark.Majeski.began.his. tenure.with.Willamette.University. in.October.of .2000, following five years as athletic director at the University of California, Santa. Cruz. and. four. years. as. assistant. athletic. director. at. Menlo. College..He. currently. serves. as. a. member. of . the. NCAA. Division. III. membership.committee,.which.provides.oversight.of .the.Division.III.provisional.member.program..Majeski.previously. served.on. the.NCAA.Division. III.men’s. tennis.committee,.overseeing.championships.in.that.sport..A.former.basketball,.track.and. softball. coach,. Majeski. also. worked. venue. management. and. operations.for. the. 1994. FIFA. Men’s. Soccer. World. Cup. and. the. 1996. Atlanta. Olympic.

Games..At.WU,.Majeski.oversees.20.varsity. teams,.with. the.Bearcats. competing. in.NCAA.Division. III,.the. Northwest. Conference. and. the. Intercollegiate. Rowing. Association.. He. also. is. the. basketball. liaison.between.the.NWC.coaches.and.athletic.directors..Majeski.received.an.undergraduate.degree.in.journalism.from. Menlo. College. and. a. master’s. degree. in. higher. education. administration. from. San. Jose. StateUniversity..He.lives.in.Salem.with.his.wife,.Denise,.and.their.son,.Jack.Henry,.age.2.

Dr. M. Lee Pelton President

Mark Majeski Director of Athletics

Dean.of .Campus.Life....................... Bob.HawkinsonFaculty.Athletic.Rep...............................Dr..Jerry.GrayAssistant.Athletic.Director.....................Judy.GordonAssistant.Athletic.Director....................Skip.KenitzerHead.Athletic.Trainer...............................Shane.Wibel

Athletics Administrative Staff

BaseballMatt.Allison............. (503).370-6011Men’s BasketballGordie.James........... (503).370-6063Women’s BasketballBruce.Henderson.... (503).370-6132Cross Country/Track & FieldMatt.McGuirk.......... (503).370-6898FootballMark.Speckman....... (503).375-5350

Assistant.Athletic.Trainer........................Erin.ScharerAssistant.Athletic.Trainer...........................Ken.SmithAthletics.Marketing.Coord...............Megan.JohnstonAthletics.Comm..Director.............Robert.McKinneyAdministrative.Assistant.........................Leslie.Wright

Head Coaching StaffMen’s GolfSteve.Prothero......... (503).370-6484Women’s GolfTom.Hibbard........... (503).370-6317RowingSusan.Parkman........ (503).370-6655Men’s SoccerNelson.Larson......... (503).375-5428Women’s SoccerJim.Tursi................... (503).370-6657

SoftballDamian.Williams..... (503).370-6656SwimmingAl.Stephenson......... (503).370-6601Men’s TennisNeil.Patel.................. (503).370-6804Women’s TennisBecky.Roberts.......... (503).370-6804VolleyballTricia.Wright............ (503).370-6230

Page �9


Bearcats

The City of Salem, Oregon

Some of the most rewarding moments happen on the sidelines.Whether it’s a crowd of hundreds doing “The Wave” or a couple of

parents holding a sign, this is the part of any game that hits home for

us — people supporting people. In fact, it’s exactly why at American

Family, we’re happy and proud to join the cheering section.

American Family Mutual Insurance Company and its Subsidiaries

Home Office – Madison, WI 53783

© 2007 002854 – Rev. 8/07

. Salem,. the. capital. cityof . Oregon. as. well. as. the.second. largest. city. in. the.state,. lies. in. the. center.of .the. lush. Willamette. River.valley,. 47. miles. South. of .Portland.. Salem. is. a. city.of . over. 47. square. miles,.located. an. hour. from. the.Cascade.mountains. to. theeast.and.just.an.hour.from.the. ocean. beaches. to. the.west.. The. population. of .Salem. is. around. 147,000and. is. growing. each. yearat.an.average.rate.of .about1.5.percent. Day trips to the magnificant Oregon coast,. the. Cascade. and. Coast. Mountain.ranges,. as. well. as. several. nearby. vineyards.and. high. desert. areas. offer. newcomers. avariety of experiences. Salem also has a wide.array.of .restaurants,.hotels.and.tourist.attractions,. ranging. from. historic. sites. and.museums. to. events. that. appeal. to. a. widevariety.of .interests.. Several.parks.and.the.historic.district.are.within.easy.walking.distance.of .Willamette..Salem. also. includes. farmers. markets. that.

overflow with locally raised produce andhand-crafted. products.. The. city. is. a. goodbase. for. a. tour. of . Oregon’s. wine. country.It. also. is. the. site. of . the. Salem. Arts. Fairand.the.Oregon.State.Fair.each.year.. Salem. is. located. close. to. State. Parks,.attractive. gardens,. farming. communities,.orchards. and. vineyards.. Combined. with.glorious. views. of . the. Cascade. Mountains,.the.varied.terrain.that.is.within.a.30-minutedrive.provides. some.of . the.most.beautifulscenes in the Pacific Northwest.

Willamette is close to downtown Salem, shown at night.

Page �0


Bearcats

Conference and National Affiliations

. Willamette. is. a. member. of .the.National.Collegiate.Athletic.Association. and. competes. in.Division. III,. which. has. over425.members.and.is.the.largestNCAA. division.. The. colleges.in. Division. III. place. a. priority.on. the. overall. quality. of . theeducational experience and on successful completion. of . each. student’s. academicprograms.. They. seek. an. environment. in.which. a. student-athlete’s. activities. with. anathletic.team.are.seen.as.an.integral.part.of .his or her educational experience. Members in Division III must sponsor at least fivemen’s sports and five women’s sports.

. Athletes. in. Division. III. do.not receive financial aid related to. athletic. ability.. Willamette.and. other. NCAA. Division. III.members.encourage.students.to.participate by maximizing the variety.of .athletic.opportunities.Primary. emphasis. is. placed. on

conference. and. regional. play.. Willamette.often. sends. its. teams. to. California,. Idaho,Washington and Texas for in-region games.. NCAA. Division. III. members. establishan. environment. with. cultural. diversity. and.gender. equity. among. student-athletes. and.staff..In.Division.III,.employees.care.aboutthe.well-being.of .their.student-athletes.

NCAA Division III

Northwest Conference. The.nine.prviate.collegesand. universities. in. Oregonand. Washington. that. form.the. Northwest. Conference.are.building.a.reputation.for.the.NWC.as.one.of .the.top.NCAA.Division. III. leaguesin. the. nation.. The. NWC. isnationally. competitive. in. abroad.spectrum.of .sports.. Formed. in. 1926,. the. NWC. is. 80. yearsold. and. is. one. of . the. oldest. conferences.in. the. western. United. States.. The. NWC’s.current.members.in.Oregon.are.Willamette,.George Fox, Linfield, Lewis and Clark, and Pacific. Members located in Washingtonare Pacific Lutheran and Puget Sound, plusWhitman.and.Whitworth.. The. charter. members. in. 1926. includedWillamette,. College. of . Idaho. (Albertson.College), Linfield, Pacific, and the College of .Puget.Sound.(UPS)..Albany.College.wasadded. in. 1931. and. remained. for. seven

years,. then. departed. and.returned. in. 1949. as. Lewisand Clark College. The next member, Pacific Lutheran,joined. in. 1965,. followedby. Whitworth. in. 1970.. The.College. of . Idaho. withdrewin.1978..Whitworth.dropped.out. in.1984,.but. returned. in1988.. Menlo. College. joined

the.NWC.in.2006.in.football.only.. The. NWC. originally. sponsored. athletic.competition. for. men’s. sports. only,. but.joined.forces.with.the.Women’s.Conference.of . Independent. Colleges. in. 1984. to. formthe..Northwest.Conference.of .Independent.Colleges..The.name.was.shortened.back.to.the.original.Northwest.Conference.in.1998.. Also. in. 1998,. all. nine. NWC. membersshifted affiliation from the NAIA to theNCAA.. Members. knew. the. move. wouldfoster.equity,. sportsmanship.and.a.genuineconcern.for.all.student-athletes.

DATE EVENT LOCATION Sept. 15 Willamette Grass Course Salem, OR Willamette University Bush’s Pasture Park

Sept. 22 Bear Fete Invitational Wheatland, OR George Fox University Willamette Mission State Park

Sept. 29 Charles Bowles Invitational Salem, OR Willamette University Bush’s Pasture Park

Oct. 13 Mike Hodges Invitational Oregon City, OR Clackamas Community College

Oct. 20 OSU Beaver Classic Corvallis, OR Oregon State University Avery Park

Oct. 27 NWC Championships Wheatland, OR George Fox University Willamette Mission State Park

Nov. 10 NCAA West Regional Estacada, OR Lewis & Clark College McIver Park

Nov. 17 NCAADivisionIII Northfield,MN National Championships St. Olaf College

2007 SCHEDULE

Willamette Men’sCross Country

NCAA West Region Champions2002, 2003, 2004,2005, 2006, 2007

Willamette Women’sCross Country

NCAA West Region Champions2003, 2004, 2005,

2006, 2007

Documents

2007 Bearcats Cross Country