Long Beach State University Athletics
49ers Head to West Regional Meet
11/8/2006 12:00:00 AM | Cross Country
49ers Aim for Best Two-Year Run in School History
LBSU Heads to Regionals; Kramon Looking for First NCAA Berth
November 8, 2006
LONG BEACH, CA -- Long Beach State cross country will head to the NCAA
West Regional in Gresham, Oregon on Saturday, aiming for a second-consecutive
top-10 finish. The women's 6K race is set to take place at 11 a.m.
with the men's 10K race to follow at 12:15 p.m. at Blue Lake Park.
The 49ers are coming off stellar performances at the conference meet on
November 4, where the women finished second with a school-record 72 points,
and the men finished fourth, only four points off from third place.
This weekend The Beach is looking to produce the best two-year run in
school history. Last year the 49ers had the second-best combined finish
at the West Regional in Palo Alto, when both programs finished 10th. Meredith
Kramon led the women as she finished 27th (21:13.9), just missing the
school's first NCAA bid. Wolhan Ovalle had a strong race for the men as
he finished 53rd overall (31:31.1).
"Our goal is always to run well at the Regional meet and we are
in a good position to do that this year," said third-year Distance
Coach Matt Roe. "The team is very focused on what they can control
and it is in their power to have the best two-year run in school-history
this weekend."
The women, who are ranked No. 9 in the West Region, are looking for a
strong finish with four athletes who hold top-10 6K times at LBSU. Kramon,
a two-time all-conference honoree, holds the school-record with a time
of 20:52. With all of the improvements she has made this year, Kramon
has an outstanding chance to qualify for a national berth on Saturday.
Ludi Valdez ranks third (21:34) and Jenessa Botello (21:36) ranks fourth
on the charts. Kristina Wilson holds the seventh-fastest time in school-history
at 22:07.
"Meredith has been running great all year," said Roe. "She
is in the best shape now and we believe she will have an outstanding race
on Saturday."
The men's program has had to reload this year after losing two All-Big
West performers to graduation, but is looking strong heading into this
weekend. Ovalle, who holds the third-fastest 8K time in school-history
at 24:13, is expected to lead the 49er pack. Dylan Jaedtke, who finished
72nd at Regionals last year, ranks 10th on the 49er charts.
Two of LBSU's top-five runners, including Nicole Blalock a two-time
All-Big West honoree and Jason Bruton, will not be competing this weekend
due to a violation of team policies.
"We feel really good about the people that will be representing
us this weekend," said Roe. "They will be representing our
program with honor and distinction and I believe we will have a great
outcome."
