FULLERTON, Calif. – Hawai'i Pacific University got ninth place finishes from Robyn Kaltenbrunn in the women's race and Lukas Motschmann in the men's race to lead the Sharks at the 2019 PacWest Conference Cross Country Championships at Ted Craig Regional Park.
 
The HPU men scored 146 points to finish fifth behind Concordia Irvine with 120 points in fourth, and just ahead of Fresno Pacific with 150 points in sixth.
 
The Sharks women totaled 181 points for eighth ahead of Chaminade in ninth with 297 points. Point Loma was seventh with 142 points.
 
Motschmann, a senior from Magdeburg, Germany, ran the men's 8-kilometer race in 25 minutes 52.00 seconds to pace HPU in ninth. Freshman Jona Bodirsky of Muhlhausen, Germany, placed 20th with a time of 26:35.16. Senior Christian Duran of Whittier, Calif./La Serna, was the third Shark across the line with a time of 27:07.08 to place 33rd. Sophomore David Rutto of Eldoret, Kenya ran 36th with a time of 27:09.25 and junior Jason Flores of Beaumont, Calif./Beaumont was 59th in 29:08.85.
 
Kaltenbrunn, a junior from Johannesburg, South Africa, covered the women's 6-kilometer race in 22:21.66 for her ninth place finish. Sophomore Karen Corona Perez of Ocracoke, N.C., placed 33rd with a time of 23.13.91, while senior Brooke Gottmeier of Fairbanks, Alaska/West Valley, was 50th in a time of 23:46.47. Freshman Sophia Cash of Kamuela, Hawai'i/Honoka'a, was HPU's fourth runner, placing 55th in 24:04.16 and senior Jasmine Napenas of Wheatland, Calif./Wheatland Union, wrapped up the Sharks scoring in 59th with a 24:17.73. Freshman McKay Guckenberg of Eureka, Mont./Lincoln County, added a 61st place finish with a 24:19.34 and senior Janice Hata of Kaneohe, Hawai'i/Castle ran 71st in 25:11.86.
 
In the women's team competition, Fresno Pacific took top honors with 62 points, with Academy of Art second and host Biola third. ART U and BU each scored 85 points, with the Urban Knights winning the tiebreaker. ART U's Hasna Kaarour won the individual championship in a time of 21:22.85. Point Loma's Zita Molnar was second in 21:36.36, and Biola's Mackenna Mason was third in 21:47.89.
 
Host Biola dominated the men's race, taking the top three spots, four of the top five finishers and the Eagles fifth runner placing 10th to score 21 points for the championship. Notre Dame de Namur edged out Academy of Art 75-79 for second. Gabe Plendcio led the Biola charge with the individual title in a time of 25:09.71. The Eagles Brady DeHaven ran 25:21.25 for second in nipping teammate Ryan Thompson who was timed in 25:21.93.
 
The Sharks are next scheduled for competition in the NCAA Division II West Regional on Nov. 9 at the Ash Creek Preserve in Monmouth, Ore., hosted by Western Oregon.