WALLA WALLA, Wash. -- Setting a new course record for the second time in two weeks, Whitman College's Laura Matsen won the NCAA Div. III West Regional Saturday morning at McIver State Park in Estacada, Ore. Matsen, a senior in her first season of collegiate running, won the women's 6,000 meters with a time of 21:44.2, beating the runner-up, Whitworth's Leslie Nelson, by 14 seconds.
With her latest triumph, Matsen advances to the NCAA Div. III National Championships, slated for next Saturday, Nov. 22, at Indiana's Hanover College.
In winning the Northwest Conference Championships two weeks ago at Lincoln Park in Forest Grove, Ore., Matsen set a new course and meet record with a time of 21:36.78.
Times in Saturday's regional event were slowed a bit by a wet course. "It rained (Friday) night, but Laura looked really strong," Whitman assistant coach Neal Christopherson said. "She took the lead just after the halfway point and held on to the end."
Matsen has now won her last four races. She also has second-place and third-place finishes to her credit this fall. Early in the season, in just her second collegiate race, placed sixth in a race at McIver State Park, finishing with a time of 22:49.7.
In Saturday's regional race for the men, senior Braden Burkholder placed 21st in his final race as a Missionary, moving up from a 28th-place showing in the NWC championships two weeks ago. Burkholder's time for the 8,000 meters was 26:29.8.
Burkholder just missed advancing to nationals for a second consecutive year. The top three men's teams in Saturday's regional advanced to nationals, along with the top six individuals not on those three teams. Burkholder was the eighth finisher not on the top three teams. His time was about 14 seconds behind the sixth and final individual qualifier.
"It was tough to see Braden miss nationals by just a few seconds, but this was his best race of the year," Christopherson said. After finishing 20th at the regional meet a year ago, Burkholder placed 157th in a huge field at nationals.
In the women's team scoring Saturday, Matsen led Whitman women to an 11th-place finish with 284 points. Willamette won the meet with 45 points. Rounding out the top five were Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (79), Whitworth (90), Linfield (98), Lewis & Clark (151) and George Fox (170).
Senior Jeanne Knechtges posted Whitman's second best time in the women's race Saturday, finishing 62nd in 24:42.9. That knocked 64 seconds off the time she posted earlier in the season on the same course. "Jeanne finished her collegiate career with a great race," Christopherson said.
Maureen FitzMaurice, a Whitman junior, finished 75th with a time of 25:15.8. Senior Libby Winters close behind, placing 77th in 25:22.7. Also running for Whitman were sophomore Katherine Magid, 89th, 26:16.1, and junior Emily Johnson, 93rd, 26:46.8.
In the men's team scoring, Whitman placed among 14 schools with 270 points. Willamette was first with 41 points, followed in the top five by Puget Sound with 59, Colorado College 72, Pomona-Pitzer 105 and Whitworth 133.
Whitman's next best finish in the men's race was posted by junior Conor Flynn, who placed 36th in 27:10.6. Others contributing to the Missionary team score (top five) were junior Ryan Choi, 60th, 27:49; junior Pat Cade, 82nd, 28:46; and freshman Elliot Brian, 86th, 29:01. Also running for Whitman were senior Chris Brewer, 87th, 29:08, and freshman Nick Johnson, 99th, 31:41.