Q & A With the ‘Cats - Get to know Jason Hight

Year: Junior

Home Town: Orange, CA     

Major/Minor: Chemistry/Math

Why did you come to Linfield?

Good chemistry department, good cross country program; I loved the campus when I came to visit.

What is your fondest memory thus far from your time at Linfield?

The trips to Camp Kiwanilong with the team every year.

What is it that you enjoy most about cross country?

Long runs in the morning out on the gravel roads and coming to compete on race day.

Who is your athletic hero/role-model?

Ichiro Suzuki, he gets the job done year after year and remains humble.

Do you crinkle your race bib number or leave it smooth?

Smooth, a crinkled bib looks like a piece of trash.

What’s your most embarrassing athletic moment?

Running nine laps in a 3200m race .

What is your favorite movie?

Raiders of the Lost Ark

What song is most played on your iPod?

Thank You, My Twilight by the Pillows.

What is your homepage on your computer?

Google, with a fancy background.

What words of wisdom would you offer to a college-bound high school senior?
A college is a service that you (or someone) are paying for; YOU are responsible for making the most of this service.

Jason Hight pushes toward the finish line at the 2012 L&C Invitational.

October 27, 2012
Gladow Earns All-NWC Honors at Championships

FOREST GROVE, Ore. – Joe Gladow shrugged off the elements to record his highest career finish at the Northwest Conference Championships, earning first team all-league honors on a wet Saturday morning at the Sunset Golf Course.

As a team, the Linfield men placed two runners in the top 20 to place sixth.

Gladow completed the four loops that comprised the eight-kilometer course in 26 minutes, 31 seconds. Calvin Howell missed out on second team all-league honors – awarded to the top 14 runners – as he was 18th in 26:59.

Veteran Jason Hight improved more than 30 positions from where he finished last season, taking 32nd this year in 27 minutes, 31 seconds.

Competing in their first conference championship race, freshmen Alex Mangan and Frankie Moncada rounded out the scoring runners for the Wildcats. Mangan was 38th (27:49) and Moncada took 48th (28:07).

Joe Gladow battling for a top spot at the 2012 NWC Championships.

 “While we had some good performances up front, we didn’t race well overall,” stated associate head coach Greg Mitchell. “We picked the wrong day to have an off day collectively, but I am confident the team will rebound for Regionals. We are so much better than the results show.”

Brooke Niemann paced the Wildcat women, who took fourth overall. The sophomore finished as Linfield’s No. 1 for the second time this year, and earned second team all-conference honors by finishing 12th overall in the 82-competitor field. She finished the six-kilometer course in 23:34.

Siena Noe and Audrey Lichten just snuck into the top 20, finishing in 18th and 19th place, respectively and in identical times of 24 minutes, 2 seconds. Claire Hann placed 23rd in 24:06 and Katie Skinner took 32nd in 24:21.

“I am disappointed in how we finished on both sides and feel like we left a lot out on the course,” said head coach Travis Olson “The only thing for us to do at this point is put this one behind us and get ready for Regionals.”

Audrey Lichten, Hannah Greider and Brooke Niemann lead the Wildcat charge.

Hovde Giving 100% x 2

Being a two-sport athlete at the collegiate level is challenging. Especially when the two sports share a season. But Brinn Hovde — a member of Linfield’s cross country and women’s golf teams this fall — says she wouldn’t have it any other way.

For the full story click here.

Brinn Hovde spiked up and ready to golf.

Q & A With the 'Cats - Get to Know Katie Skinner

Year: Junior

Home Town: Portlandia

Major/Minor: International Relations/Studio Art

Why did you come to Linfield?

Perfect size, great xc team dynamic, super helpful staff in all departments, study abroad opportunities, overall great atmosphere and opportunity to succeed. Plus large dorm rooms for activities.

What is your fondest memory thus far from your time at Linfield?

1) Freshman year XC prom at the Ram’s Head; who knew weird cross-country runners could be so forkin’ fun?!

2) Carving pumpkins and feasting with the girl’s team!

3) My first art class at Linfield, twas an experience that made me never want to stop creating.

What is it that you enjoy most about cross-country?

1) The team dynamic is wonderful. We should all probably make an effort to make friends outside of the team…

2) Also the satisfaction of running a fast race, not much can compare to that feeling.

Who is your athletic hero/role-model?

I’ve always liked Kara Goucher because she’s from ma hood! But I don’t really have any particular person that I admire. I tend to pull different athletic philosophies and apply them to what I want to accomplish. I admire people who are successful but still lead a well rounded, entertaining and fulfilling life. They appreciate competition and winning but also the need to enjoy other niches within different realms of life.

Do you crinkle your race bib number or leave it smooth?

Crinkle, baby. Aerodynamics.

What’s your most embarrassing athletic moment?

Freshman year (of college) Conference race. I don’t think I have ever run that slowly. And it was all because I was mentally out of it, no injury or anything, just me being dumb.

What is your favorite movie?

Hook or Mrs. Doubtfire or Lord of the Rings: Two Towers. (Robin Williams or Aragorn, son of Arathorn. Tough call.)

What song is most played on your iPod?

Sea of Love by Cat Power.

What is your homepage on your computer?

- Yahoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

What words of wisdom would you offer to a college-bound high school senior? 

1) Pick a college that you are out of your chair excited about when you get your acceptance letter/financial aid award letter. Too many people settle for a college and wish in the middle they had chosen another one. Go with your gut.
2) When you get to school, make an effort to just talk to people! Especially if you come to a school like Linfield. You can make so many connections if you just have conversations. It will make your whole college experience better if you find people you truly enjoy to be around.

3) Running wise, don’t overthink nothin’! Just run and do what you love to do. Have fun, focus on your opportunity to run with a team, and that you can always improve if you really want to. I came into college running and over thought every race, got too stressed and ended up running like an idiot. Just go out and run!

Katie Skinner taking it to the competition at the 2012 L&C Invitational.

Wildcats Head to NWC Conference Championships on Saturday, October 27

This Saturday, the teams of the Northwest Conference converge on the Sunset Grove Golf Course in Forest Grove to race for the NWC Cross Country trophy. The Wildcat women figure to factor into the battle for the top spot and the men expect to challenge for a spot in the top 3.

“There are probably four women’s teams with a chance to stand atop the podium and our team is one of them,” stated Head Coach Travis Olson. “Our men are coming on strong at the right time and while there a couple of teams that may be out of reach for them, it’s going to be a real battle for that third spot. I think we can get there.”

Come watch the action! The men race 8k at 11am with the women’s 6k following at noon.

Meet Website

Meet Program

Q & A With the ‘Cats – Get to Know Joe Gladow

 

Year: Junior

Home Town: Shoreline, WA

Major/Minor: International Relations

Why did you come to Linfield?

Cool people, awesome professors and the opportunity to be an athlete AND a student

What is your fondest memory thus far from your time at Linfield?

Going on trips with teammates—Camp Kiwanilong, Sun River, a former teammate’s wedding, California, wherever.

What is it that you enjoy most about cross country?

Working your butt off in practice so you can kill it on race day. That and long runs out in the beautiful countryside of McMinnville.

Who is your athletic hero/role-model?

Bernard Lagat—incredibly fast yet humble and an all-around nice guy.

Do you crinkle your race bib number or leave it smooth?

I used to crinkle but now I leave it smooth…not a fan of superstitions.

What’s your most embarrassing athletic moment?

Falling on my face on wet grass during numerous “practice field” workouts.

What is your favorite movie?

Forrest Gump

What song is most played on your iPod?

Lonely Boy, by the Black Keys

What is your homepage on your computer?

Google!

What words of wisdom would you offer to a college-bound high school senior? 

Your college experience will be as good as you want to make it!

Joe Gladow battles mid-race at the 2012 L&C Invitational.

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 October 13, 2012

‘Cats Race Well in Final Tune-up

ESTACADA, Ore. – In their final dress rehearsal before the Northwest Conference Championships, the Linfield men and women placed fourth and third, respectively, at the Lewis & Clark Invitational Saturday morning at McIver State Park.

With surprisingly warm temperatures and only a little rain dampening the course during the women’s race, the Wildcats got a good look at what they’ll be going up against at the league meet, without putting too much stock in the results from the invite.

“We’re not overly concerned about what happened today,” said head coach Travis Olson after resting some top Wildcat runners with nagging injuries, Olson said the focus remains on what happens in two weeks.

Joe Gladow paced the Wildcat men, placing fifth overall and third among runners representing the NWC. He completed the eight-kilometer course in 26 minutes, 15.59 seconds, only 21 seconds behind the top collegiate finisher.

The Wildcat men charge from the starting line.

“Joe ran pretty well today,” Olson said. “We’re hopeful he can be competing for a conference title individually.” Assistant coach and Linfield alum Chris McIsaac topped the 62-competitor field, clocking a time of 25 minutes, 45.76 seconds.

Placing 14th overall, Calvin Howell finished as the Wildcats’ No. 2 runner (27:07.84). Jason Hight ran the course in 27 minutes, 22.43 seconds to place third for Linfield and 17th overall. Chad Linnerooth and Alex Mangan rounded out the scoring for the ‘Cats. Linnerooth finished 24th (27:48.60) and Mangan was 32nd (28:16.00).

For the second straight meet, a new No. 1 runner emerged for the Linfield women. This time it was Siena Noe, placing seventh in the six-kilometer race in a time of 23 minutes, 32.06 seconds. “This is the best I’ve felt this season,” stated Noe. “Things are coming around at the right time.”

Siena Noe battles up front with the leaders.

This marked the third time a different woman has led the Wildcats this season, demonstrating the real depth of the squad. If the team can get everyone firing on all cylinders at the same time, Linfield should challenge for a podium finish at the NWC Championships.

The Wildcats placed three runners in the top 10, with Brooke Niemann and Hannah Greider finishing ninth and 10th, respectively. Niemann clocked a time of 23 minutes, 36.53 seconds while Greider was two seconds back in 23 minutes, 38.75 seconds. Audrey Lichten was 16th overall (23:56.89) and Jill Boroughs took 18th (24:09.48).

Linfield Cross Country

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October 6, 2012
Wildcats Tackle Legendary “Dead Dog”

With no meet on the schedule, the Wildcats headed to the Yamhill County countryside for a traditional hard run with roots that date back to the early 1980s.  The team ran a hilly ten-mile workout that included the infamous “Dead Dog” Hill.  The name “Dead Dog” has filled countless Linfield runners with dread since the legend began three decades ago. 

The Lady Wildcats warm-up prior to taking on Dead Dog.

The story goes that former Linfield coach George Oja and some of his top runners were running a workout over a hilly farm road outside McMinnville, when a stray dog decided to trot along with them.  As the grade of the hills continued to increase, so too did the dog’s apparent suffering.  Eventually the group, with panting dog in tow, hit an absolutely brutal climb.  As the runners ascended the hill, they noticed that the dog’s heavy panting had subsided.  Looking over their shoulders for their four-legged companion, they saw the canine’s collapsed and lifeless body on the side of the road.  The legend of “Dead Dog” had been born.

An artist's rendering of what the original "Dead Dog" may have looked like.

Though there is no record of any Linfield athletes collapsing on this particular run, all who run the workout would admit that there is a point on the climb where the possibility of death crosses one’s mind.  “This run is a gut-check,” stated associate head coach and former Linfield harrier Greg Mitchell.  “About 10 steps into it, you are presented with the dilemma:  am I going to be tough and press on or am I going to let the hill win?”

The 'Cats celebrate after conquering the hill.

Linfield Cross Country

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Q & A With the ‘Cats – Get to know Brooke Niemann



Year: Sophomore
Home Town: Bellevue, Washington
Major/Minor: Accounting and Economics

Why did you come to Linfield?

Because when I visited Jill took me to Ram’s Head to meet the team and I really liked em all and the team atmosphere. Also it fit my requirements: had cross country and track teams I could run for, it was small, had a large variety of majors I was interested in, and has good weather without being too close to home.

What is your fondest memory thus far from your time at Linfield?
Spending time with the team at pasta feeds and B and E Movie Nights.

What is it that you enjoy most about cross country?
The team and family that they give you - they're all really nice and supportive.

Who is your athletic hero/role-model?
No one really. I like that Alex Van Slyke (former Linfield runner) wasn't afraid to take days off every week.

Do you crinkle your race bib number or leave it smooth?
Smooth.

What’s your most embarrassing athletic moment?
The amount of times I get made fun of for wearing only a sports bra or maybe being one of the many runners to crash in the workout with the evil sprinkler corner!

What is your favorite movie?
The Fast and the Furious

What song is most played on your iPod?
I really like Sail by AWOL Nation and Thrift Shop by Macklemore.

What is your homepage on your computer?
Facebook and Google.

What words of wisdom would you offer to a college-bound high school senior?  
Give schools a chance, I didn't want to visit Linfield because I thought I'd already found the right school and only even applied because one of my friend’s parents said I might like it and my parents wanted me to apply to one close school. Also go visit the team: it could be a great school with the wrong team. It's not all about the money.

Brooke hammers toward the finish at the 2011 NWC Championships.

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September 29, 2012
Linfield Alumni Cross Country Team Competes at Willamette

SALEM, Ore. – In an effort to recapture their glory days as Wildcats, six former Linfield harriers teamed up to do battle over the 8k course at the Willamette Invitational on Saturday. The team – made up of Arian Anderson ’12, Tyler Davis ’10, Chris McIsaac ’10, Greg Mitchell ’95, Scott Pinske ’11, and Eric Weinbender ’12 – represented the college well scoring 193 points while finishing seventh out of 22 teams in the “gold” race, which was comprised of NAIA, community college and club teams.

The old guys get pumped on the starting line.

“I knew there were a bunch of us in pretty good shape and I thought it would be fun to put something together,” stated current Assistant Coach and 2010 Linfield graduate Chris McIsaac. “Plus, like most people, I look for any excuse to wear an old-school ‘80s singlet.”

The oldest member of the team and current Associate Head Coach for Linfield, Greg Mitchell led the team across the line with a 4th place finish in 24:50. Mitchell was followed by Scott Pinske in 25:42 and Chris Mcisaac in 25:57. Rounding out the scoring for the ‘Cat Alums was Tyler Davis in 26:21 and Arian Anderson in 26:43. Eric Weinbender finished in 27:20, making sure that all six team members finished in under 27:30.

“It was great to run with those guys again,” stated Mitchell. “One of the main tenets of our philosophy is “legacy” – staying in the sport once you’ve left Linfield – so I was proud to see that in action. Strange though it may sound, very few colleges can put together that competitive of a team with former athletes because so many fade away and quit running.”

Anderson, McIsaac, Davis, Pinske, Weinbender, and Mitchell after the race.

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September 29, 2012
Wildcat women race well at Willamette

SALEM, Ore. – The Wildcat women battled well in a crowded field at the 38th Annual Charles Bowles Invitational, hosted by Willamette, Saturday morning at Bush’s Pasture Park. After the dust had settled, the ‘Cats had placed second among NWC and Division III squads with 92 points.

The Lady 'Cats charge from the line at the Willamette Invitational.

Brooke Niemann finished first for the Linfield women, completing the five-kilometer course in 19 minutes, 4.09 seconds finishing 35th overall out of 212 total runners. “It was great to finish first for the team,” stated Niemann. “We’ve got such a deep team and there are at least five of us capable of being the number one runner each week, so to lead the team across the line gives me a ton of confidence.”

Finishing less than a second behind Niemann, was Hannah Greider, who recorded a time of 19:04.37, as Linfield’s No. 2 runner. Mimi Seeley was third for the Wildcats in 54th place (19:13.19).

Sienna Noe (64th, 19:19.67), Audrey Lichten (76th, 19:30.83), Katie Skinner (95th, 19:44.60), Jill Boroughs (119th, 20:05.01) and Emily Zegar (156th, 20:42.66) rounded out the top seven for Linfield.

Mimi Seeley, Hannah Greider and Brooke Niemann work together mid-race.

 “This women’s team is going to be very competitive at championship time,” stated Associate Head Coach Greg Mitchell. “We put them through the ringer this week at practice and they were still able to perform well with beat up bodies and heavy legs. I’m excited to see what’s coming.”

While the women had a strong day on the race course, the men struggled a bit, finishing 15th overall, eighth among Division III programs and fifth from the Northwest Conference, with a total of 181 points.

“Obviously we were hoping for a better performance from the guys,” stated Mitchell. “But they were racing on tired legs and ultimately, all that matters is the championships. It’s too early to hit the panic button – I think we’re right on track for good things at the championship meets.”

Calvin Howell paced the ‘Cats in the Men’s Cardinal 8K Race, placing 47th in a time of 26 minutes, 20.26 seconds. Joe Gladow was 55th overall (26:27.35) and Frankie Moncada placed 59th (26:34.81).

Jason Hight was 119th in 27.50.69 and Brandon Lemerande finished 130th in 28:16.59. Chad Linnerooth taking 134th in 28:20.25, and Alex Mangan, placing 136th in 28:27.64, rounded out the top seven for Linfield.