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Bulldog Men 4th, Women 5th In Cross Country Poll
Aug. 29, 2003 SAN BRUNO, Calif. - Gonzaga University's men were tabbed fourth while the Bulldog women were picked fifth in the West Coast Conference pre-season vote of cross country coaches released on Friday. The Bulldog men received 31 points, one behind third-place choice University of San Diego, while the women garnered 26 points, six behind the fourth-place Toreros. Gonzaga opens the season Saturday with the varsity runners competing at the Bronco Invitationa in Santa Clara, Calif. The Bulldogs will also have entries at the Whitworth Invitational on Saturday morning across town on the Whitworth College campus. The University of Portland was picked to claim both the men's and women's titles. Portland was the unanimous favorite to win the men's competition, receiving the maximum of 49 points. In the women's poll, Portland earned 46 points, edging Santa Clara University by just one point. Both the Pilots and Broncos received four first place votes in the women's poll. The Pilots have won the men's race 24 consecutive years, the longest streak in any sport in WCC history. Portland runners have also taken the top individual spot in as many years, with junior Jeff Driscoll taking the top spot at the 2002 championship with a time of 23:54, one second off the record pace set by his brother Joe in 1999. In 2002, the Pilots placed five men on the All-WCC team, three of which will return to compete for Portland in 2003. Joining Driscoll as the top contender for first place at the WCC Championship is Trevor Coolidge, who finished second at last year's championship meet with a time of 25:06. Portland's women's team reclaimed the title last year after Santa Clara broke the Pilots' five year winning streak in 2001. Portland has earned 13 women's cross country titles since 1985, posting the fastest individual runner seven times in championship history. In 2002, the Pilots placed four runners in the top ten of the women's competition. Nicole Ricci finished as the highest Portland runner in third place with a time of 18:18. The women's race belonged to Allegra Porter of Saint Mary's College who returns to defend her title in 2003. Porter won last year's race with a time of 17:42, which was the second best time in conference championship history and was the best mark ever posted by a Gaels' runner. The 2003 WCC Men's and Women's Cross Country Championship will take place Nov. 1 at Crystal Springs Cross Country Course in Belmont, Calif.
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