Press Release
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HIGHLIGHTS:
* Recent Events: Bruins Open with Short Races in Whitman Invitational
* Coming Up: Sundodger Invitiational at UW in Seattle
* Information on Bruins' Wes Cook Bear Fete Invitational
* Rapet, Giffey-Brohaugh BAA Winners, HM for NWC Honors
RECENT EVENTS: Bruins Open with Short Races in Whitman Invitational
* Sept. 1 - Whitman Invitational at Ft. Walla Walla Park, Walla Walla, Wash.
--- Men - 3rd of 6 / Women - 4th of 6
Press Release / Results (M) / Results (W)
COMING UP:
Sat., Sept. 15 - Sundodger Invitational at Lincoln Park, Seattle, Wash.
--- 9:00 am - Men's Open 8K / 9:40 a.m. - Women's Open 6K
After a short-distance tune-up at the Whitman Invitational two weeks ago, the 2007 cross country season begins in earnest for the George Fox Bruins this Saturday in the Sundodger Invitational hosted by the University of Washington at Lincoln Park in Seattle. The Bruins will compete in the Open events; there are Invitational races primarily for NCAA Division I programs following the Opens.
Directions to Lincoln Park: Take West Seattle Freeway exit off of I-5 from either north or south. Head into west Seattle. Take a right onto Fauntleroy Way and follow signs to Vashon Ferry terminal. Lincoln Park is on the west side of Fauntleroy Way.
* Information on Bruins' Wes Cook Bear Fete Invitational
After a one-year absence, the Bear Fete Invitational hosted by George Fox University returns on Saturday, Sept. 22, with an updated name and a new site. Coaches John Smith and Mike Hickey have added the name of former Bruin coach Wes Cook to the title, honoring the 19-year coach of the GFU cross country and track and field programs who led the Bruins to national prominence before retiring at the end of the 2006 track and field season.
The event will consist of the men's 8K race at 10:00 a.m. and the women's 6K race at 10:45 a.m. The new venue is Willamette Mission State Park near Brooks, Ore., after many years at Champoeg State Heritage Area.
"Although it is a little further away, we think everyone will really enjoy this new place," says Coach Hickey. "It is very scenic, and the race course has been basically designed as a 2K loop that the women will cover three times and the men four times. It is a much more spectator-friendly circuit than we have had before."
Directions: Head south on I-5 from Portland or north from Salem and take exit 263 towards Brooks/Gervais. Turn right at Brooklake Rd NE, right at Wheatland Rd N, and left into Willamette Mission State Park.
Additional information is available on the George Fox cross country web site at http://www.georgefox.edu/athletics/cross_country/2007/bearfete.html.
THE COACHES:
Head coach John Smith (George Fox '96) is in his second year as the head coach of all George Fox track and field and cross country programs. After eight years as an assistant, he took over in the summer of 2006 upon the retirement of 19-year veteran coach Wes Cook. Smith was a two-time NAIA All-American in the decathlon for the Bruins and still holds the GFU decathlon record (7,138 points). Click here for the complete bio on Coach Smith.
One of John Smith's first acts as the new head coach of the George Fox cross country and track and field programs was to name Mike Hickey (Washington State '98) as associate head coach for cross country. Hickey, now in his second year at George Fox, was head cross country and assistant track coach at Clackmas Community College (1998-2001) and an assistant in both sports at Portland State University (2001-2005) prior to joining the Bruins. Click here for the complete bio on Coach Hickey.
BRUIN BITS:
* Rapet, Giffey-Brohaugh BAA Winners, HM for NWC Honors
Paul Rapet for the men and Rachel Giffey-Brohaugh for the women were named the Bruin Athletic Association Athletes of the Week for the week of Aug. 27-Sept. 2 and received honorable mention for Northwest Conference Runners of the Week after good showings in the Whitman Invitational on Sept. 1 at Ft. Walla Walla Park in Walla Walla, Wash.
Rapet posted the best time for the Bruins with a 20:20.83 in the 6K race, placing 8th overall and 8th for team scoring. He had the third-best time among NWC runners.
In the women's 4K race, Giffey-Brohaugh placed 5th overall and 4th for team scoring with the second-best time of any Northwest Conference athlete at 15:48.57.
* 2007 Honors:
- Paul Rapet - Bruin Athletic Association Men's Athlete of the Week (Aug. 27-Sept. 2); NWC Men's Runner of the Week (HM-Aug. 27-Sept. 2)
- Rachel Giffey-Brohaugh - Bruin Athletic Association Women's Athlete of the Week (Aug. 27-Sept. 2); NWC Women's Runner of the Week (HM-Aug. 27-Sept. 2)