Runners get preview of 2009 West Regional course

CLAREMONT, Calif. - With the NCAA Division III West Regionals six weeks away, the Chapman University men's and women's cross country team competed at the 2009 West Region Preview Meet Saturday at Pomona-Pitzer Colleges with several runners on the men's side achieving season-best times in the 8K.

Having already competed in an 8K race earlier this season, the men had eight runners set season-best times on Saturday. While sophomore Chris Cresci set the pace for Chapman finishing with a time of 29:14.25, beating his previous 8K time, it was freshman Anthony Jacobsmeyer that saw the most notable improvement shaving nearly eight minutes off his last race and finishing with a time of 36:39.26. Sophomore Ryan Murray also saw drastic improvement finishing with a time of 34:39.13, nearly five minutes less than his previous time in the 8K.

Running in their first 6K of the season, the women's team was paced by freshman Kayla Heath who finished with a time of 26:01.46. In each of the Panthers' three races this year, Heath has finished in the top two for Panther runners. Freshman Amanda Kristedja finished just behind Heath with a time of 26:31.20.

Chapman now has three weeks to train before its next race on Oct. 24 at the Biola Invite which is the Panthers' final tune-up before the NCAA Division III Regionals on Nov. 14 at Pomona-Pitzer Colleges.