The Falcon   |   Volume 83, Issue 53

Published 5/29/13   |   Log In

Teams rest before GNAC meet

Only two runners competed Saturday

By JEFF REINTJES, Staff Reporter

Published: October 17, 2012

This year has been filled with excitement and improvement, but for the majority of the men’s and women’s cross country teams, Saturday was a day for restoration.

On Saturday, members of the Seattle Pacific men’s and women’s teams came out to Woodland Park to provide support for their teammates.

Sophomore Colin Wilkins and freshman Adam Avischious were the only Seattle Pacific runners to compete in the Emerald City Invitational.

“Head Coach Erika Daligcon wanted to save the rest of the healthy runners for conference in two weeks,” said sophomore Turner Wiley. “She wants us to feel rested and be as healthy as possible.”

Daligcon has been impressed with how her teams have competed thus far.

“Although we have dealt with some health issues, the team has done a good job of staying on top of things,” Daligcon said. “That has helped them to be able to bounce back and be able to compete. I also made the decision to not race as much, and I believe that has helped to keep the team both mentally and physically healthy.”

The Seattle Pacific men’s cross country team is ranked for the first time in school history.

With a mix of veteran leadership and youth, the team seems poised to finish off their best season ever with a bang.

“We have a good balance of older and younger athletes, both with a good work ethic and commitment to what it takes to achieve success as a team,” Daligcon said. “The team has a bit more depth than we have seen in past years.”

With this depth, the Falcons have high hopes for next week’s conference meet.

“This year the team is aiming for a top three finish in conference,” Taylor said. “Guys are more focused than ever and have their eyes set on qualifying for nationals.”

Daligcon also believes the team is capable of big things this year and for years to come.

“It has been really exciting to see these guys honored for their hard work,” Daligcon said. “I would like to continue to build upon this in future years and continue to see our teams both regionally and nationally ranked.”

In addition to having a mix of leadership and youth, the workouts this year have contributed to the men’s team success.

“The workouts have definitely helped us improve this year,” Wiley said, “Generally, we go into practice with a set workout. If we’re feeling good, we can do more than what Coach Daligcon has planned. If we are tired or sore, she will adjust the workout for us. It’s been great.”

These workouts will be put to test at the GNAC Championships this Saturday in Monmouth, Ore.

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