Cross country claims dual WAC titles
The Utah State men’s and women’s cross country teams swept the Western Athletic Conference cross country championships on Saturday at Fresno State. The win marks the second straight championship title for the men while the women improved upon their second-place performance from last year.
The Aggie sweep was the first time since 1999 that one school has claimed both titles. Head Coach Gregg Gensel was excited at what they had accomplished, saying, “It was awesome. They are great team champions.”
The men won the meet with a score of 26 points to defeat runner-up Boise State, who had 37 points. All five of the Aggie mens runners, who scored for the team, finished in the top 10 of the 8-kilometer race. Vance Twitchell finished first for the team and second overall. A senior, Twitchell finished with a time of 24:42. Last year, he finished third for the Aggies in the championships.
Ben Kessen, a junior, placed fourth overall with a time of 25:07 and Seth Wold came in close behind at fifth overall in a time of 25:12. Tony Jones took seventh place with a time of 25:31, followed by Aaron Clements with a time of 25:44. Jones, a freshman from Toquerville, Utah, was named the WAC Freshman of the Year.
On the women’s side, according to Gensel, the outcome of the race was not known for sure until it was officially announced at a later time.
“It was a close race, and unlike the men’s race, we didn’t know the winner until it was announced,” he said.
Jennifer Twitchell led the way for the Aggie women as she placed fourth overall with a time of 17:58 in the women’s 5-kilometer race. Twitchell, who is the wife of men’s runner Vance, was the first of three Aggie women to finish in the top 10.
Stacie Lifferth finished right behind Twitchell to finish fifth overall with a time of 18:00. Amy Egan took seventh place overall in a time of 18:07. Caroline Berry, 18th overall with 18:32 and April Rowlan, 29th with 19:02 rounded out the scoring for the women.
Gensel received the conference’s men’s and women’s Coach of the Year award. Since becoming Aggie head coach, he has now won the coach of the year award eight times. He does not take credit for the success of the team and is quick to give credit to distance coach Steve Reeder.
“Coach Reeder did a great job getting them read,” he said.
With the win on the men’s side, it gives them their third title in the last five years and sixth in the last 15 seasons.
“We always feel like we have a chance to win, but you have to run the races. It was hard-fought and we did a great job. I praise the athletes; they did a great job and I am really excited for them,” Gensel said.
From here, both teams will head to the NCAA regional meet on Nov. 11 in Albuquerque, N.M.