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Saints take highest ranking ever into GNAC finals October 18, 2004 The Saint Martin's men's Cross Country team will enter this weekend's GNAC Championships as the top ranked team in the conference and fourth in the Western Region, the highest such ranking in school history. All together, the GNAC contributes eght of the top-ten squads in region. Humboldt State University will host the fourth annual GNAC Meet next Saturday (Oct. 23) at Beau Pre Golf Course in McKinleyville, Calif. The men’s 8,000 meter race will begin at 9 a.m. with the women’s 6,000 meter race to follow at 9:45 a.m. The Saints have won two events this fall, including a dual and its own invitational, but have never finished higher than fifth in the conference meet. Andy Prentice, Tris O'Bluck, and the other Saints runners look to re-write the record books this weekend. Prentice has two individual wins this fall and finished third in last year's championships. O'Bluck placed 10th a year ago and was named the 2003 GNAC Freshman-of-the-Year. Saints Freshman, Janelle Probst will lead the unranked women's team. Regardless of what happens in the conference meet, all 10 schools will be eligible to send their teams to the NCAA West Regional meet at Lake Padden in Bellingham on Saturday, Nov. 6. The top three team finishers and the top two individual placers not on a qualifying team or anyone else in the Top 5 at the regional meet will earn invites to the NCAA Division II national meet Nov. 20 at Evansville, Ind. Western Washington’s men were the only team to represent the GNAC in last year’s national meet. American Cross Country Coaches Association Regional Poll (Oct. 12): Men - 4. Saint Martin's; 5. Western Oregon; 6. Seattle Pacific; 7. Alaska Anchorage; 8. Western Washington; 9. Humboldt State; 10. Northwest Nazarene. Women - 3. Central Washington; 5. Seattle Pacific; 6. Seattle; 7. Western Washington; 8. Alaska Anchorage.
Mark McGreevy, Sports Information Director
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