Ngetich Finishes Fourth; Named NAIA All-American
Fresno, CA - Holy Names' William Ngetich finished in fourth place in the Men's 5,000 Meter Run at the 2006 NAIA Outdoor Track and Field Championships Saturday in Fresno, CA. Ngetich was named a 2006 NAIA All-American for his efforts at the meet. The top six finishers receive that prestigious honor. The Kenyan native was named a 2006 NAIA Men's Cross Country All-American back in November.
Ngetich advanced to the 5,000m finals by winning his qualifying race on Friday. Ngetich ran a 15:03.78 in his qualifier over a second faster than the next runner. In the finals on Saturday Ngetich ran a 14:25.33, nearly 10 seconds of the pace of the 3rd place finisher.
For complete results of the 2006 NAIA Outdoor Track and Field Championships click here.
Ngetich to Compete for National Title
Track and Field Championships
Fresno, CA - William Ngetich will become the first Holy Names athlete to compete in the NAIA Outdoor Track and Field Championships held in Fresno, CA May 25-27. Ngetich qualified for the Men's 5,000 meter and runs his semifinal race on Friday at 7:30pm. Half of the field from the semi's advance to the finals on Saturday. The final will begin at 5:35pm.
To follow the 2006 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championships click here.
Ngetich Qualifies For Nationals
Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational, Stanford University - William Kipkoech Ngetich became the first HNU Track and Field athlete to qualify for the NAIA Outdoor Track and Field National meet in the 5000m. His final time of 14:56.19 is an automatic qualifying mark. Additionally, William broke HNU's old 5000m school record of 14:57.20 set by Lenin Zapata 3 weeks ago. Just as in the Fall during the cross-country season, Lenin and William kept and are still trading school and course records.
"Wow, now that was painful, but my time is there now!", said Ngetich. "Yesterday, Saturday I was mad because no one helped me set the pace. Everyone just drafted behind me. Today was a different story with more runners that helped set the pace."
Expect great things to come from William in the near future. His Kenyan mentality of "Train Hard, Win Easy" is the most painful way of training, but the results are showing and his way of training is being transmitted to his teammates.
The NAIA Outdoor Track and Field Championships will be held May 25-27 at Fresno Pacific University, Fresno, California
USF Track and Field Invitational
Three athletes participated at the USF San Francisco Track and Field Invitational. Two new school records were set.
The first great performance came to Joseph Harris who placed 4th in the open 400m dash with a time of 54.82 seconds. Joseph now holds the HNU school record in the 400m dash.
The second great performance was set by Lenin Zapata who competed in the 1500m dash. His time of 4:05.37 becomes the new HNU school record. The previous 1500m school record of 4:33.39 was held by Darryl Sanchez.
The third great performance came to William Kipkoech Ngetich who took second place in the 5000m dash after leading for 10 out of the 12.5 laps on the track. His final time was 15:16.49, which missed the "B Standard" mark to qualify for the NAIA national meet by 49-milliseconds.
25th Annual Johnny Mathis Invitational
San Francisco, CA - Two track & field athletes competed at the 25th Annual Johnny Mathis Invitational held at San Francisco State University. Lenin Zapata represented HNU in the men's 5000m race. His time of 14-minutes and 47-seconds placed him in 5th place in a field of 44 runners. Lenin's time in the 5000m is also a qualifying time for the NAIA outdoor track & field national meet. Unfortunately Lenin is red shirting this year, which means he is not eligible to participate at the national meet.
Lenin's times in the 10000m (31:46.48) and in the 5000m (14:57.20) would rank him 19th and 14th at the NAIA level.
Darryl Sanchez competed in two events (1500m and 800m). His time of 4:33.39 in the 1500m dash becomes Darryl's personal best, thus reducing his time by almost 15-seconds. His second race of the day was the 800m dash. His final time was 2:06.65 and placed first in his heat beating the second place winner by almost 2-seconds
The next race will be this Saturday April 29, at Kezar Stadium (San Francisco). The meet will be hosted by the University of San Francisco (USF).
Four runners will participate in this meet which will be their last race of the season unless they achieve a qualifying time to compete at the NAIA national meet. The participants are Joseph Harris – competing in the 400m dash, Darryl Sanchez - competing in the 800m dash, Lenin Zapata – Competing in the 1500m dash and William Ngetich – Competing in the 5000m dash.
Additionally William Ngetich has qualified to compete in the 5000m at the 2006 Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational held at Sanford. The meet is scheduled for Sunday, April 30. If you see William around campus, wish him good luck as he will be competing against the best NCAA Division I runners in the nation.
Zapata Takes 10,000m at Hornet Invite
Hornet Invitational, Sacramento, CA - Last Saturday a few HNU Track & Field athletes competed at the Hornet Invitational. The race of the day went out to our runner Lenin Zapata who won his 10000-meter (6.2mile) race with a time of 31-minutes and 46-seconds lapping every single runner on the track and beating the second place winner by 2-minutes and 13-seconds. Lenin also ran well under the qualifying time for nationals which is 32-minutes. Unfortunately Lenin is red-shirting this year so he will not be able to compete at the NAIA national meet.
Another phenomenal race went to William Ngetich who competed in the 3000-m steeplechase. William lead the first lap of the race, but at the first barrier jump over the water he trip and lost focus of his race. He still managed to finish in a time of 10-minutes and 7-seconds missing the qualifying mark for nationals by 22-seconds.
Darryl Sanchez also ran a fast 800-m run finishing in a time of 2-minutes and 5-seconds. This was Darryl's first half mile race ever and improved his time by over 20-seconds from his practice time trial over three weeks ago. Darryl's goal is to run 1-minute and 53-seconds by next year to qualify to the NAIA national meet.
Adrian Herrera threw a tremendous 38-yards in the shot put to improve his personal best by 5-yards over last week's meet. Unfortunately he scratched when he was throwing, so he wasn't allowed to advance to the next round.
Roberto Alejandres also improved his personal best in the shot put by 1-yard throwing 25-yards.
Ngetich 16th at Nationals; Named All-American
Zapata is 64th Finisher
Louisville, Kentucky - Holy Names Men's Cross Country runners William Ngetich and Lenin Zapata finished 16th and 64th respectively at the 2005 NAIA National Championship Saturday. Ngetich and Zapata were the first Hawk harriers to qualify for the National Championship since 1999 when current head coach Sergio Segura made the trip. The national championship race featured 261 of the country's best runners. Ngetich finished with a time of 23:03.85, a hair behind the 15th place finisher and less than four seconds away from a top ten finish. The individual winner was Lindenwood's Soimo Kiplagat who crossed in 23:49.10. Virginia Intermont ran away with the team title posting a 52 as their runners finished 6, 10, 11, 12 and 13.
Zapata crossed the finish line at 25:46.35 and his 64th place finish was in the top 25% of the runners. Ngetich was named an NAIA All-American
based on his finish in Kentucky. The Top 30 runners are named to the All-American Team. Ngetich becomes the first cross country runner at Holy Names to receive All-American honors.
Click here for complete results of this year's NAIA National Championship race.
Ngetich, Zapata Qualify for Nationals
Ngetich Finishes Third in Region
Holy Names University Cross Country runners William Ngetich and Lenin Zapata have qualified for the 2005 NAIA National Championships based on their performance at this weekend's NAIA Region II meet in Fresno. Ngetich finished in third place with a 25:28, just four seconds behind the second place finisher and 22 seconds behind the champion's pace. The race was won by Westmont's Aaron Megazzi at 25:06.
Zapata finished 14th with a time of 25:53, securing the region's final qualifying spot. To view the race results in full click here.
Along with Head Coach Sergio Segura, who was named the Cal Pac Coach of the Year by his peers, Ngetich and Zapata will be traveling to Louisville, Kentucky to compete for the NAIA Individual National Championship on November 19, 2005. They are the first Holy Names runners to qualify and compete at the Nationals since Segura did it back in 1999. In 1997 and 1998 Segura helpe dlead Holy Names to back to back team appearances and won the Region II Championship in '97. The men's race will kick off at 10:30am (EST).
2005 NAIA Cross Country National Championship Qualifiers
Hawk Harriers Claim Cal Pac Crown
Ngetich Individual Champ; Segura Coach of the Year
Angwin, CA - The Holy Names University Men's Cross Country team took home the 2005 California Pacific Conference Championship Friday on the campus of Pacific Union College. It is the first Cal Pac title for the harriers since 2000 when Head Coach Sergio Segura was still running. Segura was named the 2005 Cal Pac Coach of the Year for his work while William Ngetich won the race with a time of 27:20, claiming the individual championship for Holy Names as well. Teammate Lenin Zapata came in a close second finishing four seconds off Ngetich's pace.
Holy Names' five runners finished 1-2-9-10-15 giving them 37 points, edging out CSU East Bay who finished second with 41. Holy Names' Shawn Gallagher and Kamron Shafai finished 9 and 10 respectively with times of 30:12 and 30:24. Darryl Sanchez came in 15th with a 31:22 while Joseph Harris' 33:02 was good for 18th. Holy Names moves on to the NAIA Region II champioship and a shot at a National Tournament berth.
Holy Names Posts Perfect 15
Zapata Sets New Course Record
The HNU Men's Cross Country team won the 3rd Annual Holy Names Invitational in grand fashion Thursday posting a perfect score as the first five runners to finish all wore the red, white and black. Lenini Zapata crossed first with a time of 26:20, a new course record. William Ngetich was right on his tail with a 26:33, also besting the previous record held by Stepfon Davis of Holy Names. The ageless one Shawn Gallagher posted an impressive 30:16 while Kamron Shafai and Daryl Sanchez took the fourth and fifth spots with times of 30:46 and 32:22 respectively. Joseph Harris closed out the Holy Names field finishing 10th with a time of 34:51.
Menlo College finished second in team scoring with a 54 while Pacific Union was close behind posting a 59. For complete 2005 race results click here.
3rd Annual Holy Names Invitational
Holy Names Head Coach Sergio Segura and the Men's and Women's Cross Country teams will be hosting the third annual Holy Names University Invitational on Thursday, September 29, 2005. The teams competing in this Cal Pac race are Holy Names, Pacific Union and Menlo College. The race is held at Anthony Chabot Regional Park's Bort Meadow located in the beautiful Oakland Hills. The women's 5k will begin at 12:00PM while the men kick off their 8k race at 12:45PM.
Directions to Bort Meadow – Anthony Chabot Regional Park :
Go on Redwood Road (heading toward Merritt College ).
Continue on Redwood Road for 6 miles.
Once you pass the main entrance of Redwood Park , you have about 5 more minutes to get to the site of the XC Meet. The entrance to the park is on the right.
Please park on the upper parking lot.
For more race information please click here.
Zapata, Ngetia Finish 2nd, 3rd at Jessup Invite
Zapata Just 24 Seconds Off Pace
Rocklin, CA - Holy Names harriers Lenin Zapata and William Ngetia finished 2nd and 3rd respectively at the William Jessup Invitation Saturday, leading their Hawk teammates to a third place finish as a team. Zapata ran a 27:18, 24 seconds behind CSU Stanislaus' Arturo Garcia, while Ngetia was right on his heels at 27:42. Shawn Gallagher, Kameron Shafai and Daryl Sanchez finished off the scoring for Holy Names with times of 31:09, 31:17 and 33:04 respectively good for 19th, 20th and 22nd places. Holy Names finished in third as a team behind CSU Stanislaus and host William Jessup.
Zapata Shines Again
Junior Takes 12th at Davis
Davis, CA - Lenin Zapata, fresh off a record setting performance at the CSU East Bay Invitational, proved a competitive foe for NCAA Division I and II runners finishing in 12th place at the 2005 UC Davis Invitational with a time of 26:53. Zapata's 12th place finish was the highest for a Holy Names runner in the history of the race and was bested only by runners from UC Berkeley and UC Davis. Zapata finished ahead of all runners from USF, Sacramento State, San Jose State and St. Mary's College. William Ngetich's time of 28:11 was good for 30th place in this very competitive race while teammates Shawn Gallagher and Darryl Sanchez finished in 43rd and 49th place respectively with times of 30:17 and 32:27. HNU's Joseph Harris was right on Sanchez's heels placing 53rd with a 34:59.
Zapata Wins East Bay Invite; Shatters Records
Course and School Record Fall
Hayward, CA - Junior harrier Lenin Zapata finished in first place at the CSU East Bay Invitational with a time of 26:09, shattering two long standing records in the process. Zapata's time over the 8k run set a new course record previously set by CSU Hayward's (now CSU East Bay) Justin Coffeen in 2000. In addition the Peru native bested the Holy Names record of 26:43 set by Marcos Avila in 1997. Zapata won the 2005 race by more than 40 seconds. Junior William Ngetich, a Kenya native, was not far back finishing in third with a 27:56, also better than the previous course mark.
Shawn Gallagher and Darryl Sanchez placed 12th and 14th respectively with times of 29:44 and 31:20. Joseph Harris was the 22nd runner to cross the line with a time 34:36. As a team, Holy Names finished in 3rd behind both William Jessup University and Sacramento City College.
November 30, 2004
Gallagher Named NAIA All-American Scholar Athlete
Caps Senior Year in Style
Senior runner Shawn Gallagher was named an NAIA All-American Scholar-Athlete for the for his performance on the race track and in the class room during the 2004 season. Gallagher becomes the first Holy names Men's Cross Country runner to be given the honor. To see the 2004 NAIA All-American Scholar-Athlete team in full click here.
Davis, Gallagher Finish 1,2 at HNU Invitational
One Second Separates 1st and 2nd Place
Bort Meadow - Stepfon Davis won the Holy Names University Invitational Friday, beating teammate Shawn Gallgher by just a second with a time of 28:10. Holy Names had the first four finishers as Ricardo Almada and Darryl Sanchez crossed at 31:16 and 31:49 respectively. Pacific Union finished first as a team due to the Hawks incomplete team.
Holy Names gears up for the Cal Pac Championships which will be held at Crystal Springs in Belmont, CA next Friday, October 29. The women's race starts at 11:00AM and the men's at approximately 11:45AM.
Davis, Gallagher Finish 10, 11 at Mills Invite
Holy Names Takes 3rd as a Team
Oakland, CA - Holy Names men's cross country took 3rd place at the 17th Annual Mills Invitational finishing behind Notre Dame de Namur and UC Santa Cruz Club Team. Stepfon Davis finished in 10th place with a time of 29:18 followed by Shawn Gallagher in 11th just six seconds later. Ricardo Almada and Darryl Sanchez finished 35th and 39th at 33:26 and 33:49. Enrique Yuan finished the Holy Names field with a time of 50:44.
Gallagher Takes 1st at PUC Invite, Davis Finishes 3rd
Senior Harrier Sets the Pace at 29:29
Angwin, CA - Holy Names senior Shawn Gallagher set the pace at the Pacific Union College Invitational Friday, finishing the race in first place with a time of 29:29. Teammates Stepfon Davis and Ricardo Almada finished 3rd and 7th respectively while Darryl Sanchez grabbed the 9th spot. Holy Names had only four runners compete thus missing the opportunity to score as a team.
October 3, 2004
Gallagher, Davis Run Strong at the Otter Invite
Gallagher Finishes in 2nd, 30 Seconds Behind Leader
Seaside, CA - Shawn Gallagher took home a second place finish at the CSU Monterey Bay Otter Invitational while teammate Stepfon Davis grabbed the fourth spot, just 7 seconds behind the 3rd place finisher. Gallagher ran his best race of the year finishing in 26:54. Holy Names also grabbed second place as a team as Ricardo Almada and Darryl Sanchez all finished in the top 10.
Gallagher Takes 7th at the NDNU/Menlo Invitational
NDNU Takes Top Five Spots, Wins Meet
Crystal Springs - Notre Dame de Namur University Men's Cross country dominated the field at the NDNU/Menlo Ib
nvitational Friday. The Argonauts took the top five spots and won with ease with Jose Gonzalez finishing first with a 27:40.
Shawn Gallagher was again the top Holy Names runner finishing 7th in a field of 34 runners with a time 29:14. Stefon Davis came in 13th at 30:41 while Ricardo Almada finished 17th at a 32:15 pace. Darryl Sanchez completed the Hawk line up finishing as the 23 runner with a time of 34:35. The Holy Names harriers will next be in action at the CSU Monterey Bay Invitational this Saturday, October 2. The race begins at 2:00PM.
To view the race results in their entirety click here.
Men Grab 4 of 7 Top Spots
Gallagher Takes 2nd by 9 Seconds
Rocklin, CA - Holy Names Men's Cross Country took home 4 medals at the William Jessup Invitational Friday with Shawn Gallagher finishing the race second with a time of 31:06, just 7 seconds off of the winning pace by Jessup's Tim Steele. Following Gallagher was Stefon Davis in the 5th spot at 33:22, Ricardo Almada in 6th at 33:58 and Darryl Sanchez in 7th at 36:08. With just four official runners at the race, Holy Names could not compete as a team. Holy Names' next race will be Friday, September 24 at the Notre Dame de Namur / Menlo College Invitational.
September 5, 2004
Holy Names Competes in the 13th Annual USF Invitational
San Francisco, CA - Holy Names Cross Country lined up with the likes of Stanford, UCLA, UC Berkeley and University of San Francisco at the 13th Annual USF Invitational held at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. Holy Names' top finisher was senior Shawn Gallagher who finished the 8K race in 27:39.2, good for 45th place. Freshman Stefon Davis came in right behind Gallagher in 48th place with the time of 28:14.7. The winner meanwhile, Peter Meindl of Stanford, crossed the finish line with a time of 23:29.2. To view the complete race results click here.
August 4, 2004 - Cross Country Schedule Released!
The 2004 Holy Names University Men's and Women's Cross Country Schedule was announced today. The Hawk harriers hit the ground running at the annual USF Invitational held in Golden Gate Park on September 4, 2004. Holy Names also will host a meet on October 22. For the full schedule click here.