KYLE TREMBLEY
CONTRIBUTOR
Competing in their second race of the season, Cal State San Marcos women’s and men’s cross-country both had strong showings at the UC Riverside Invitational. The women remarkably swept the top-five collegiate spots to win the 5K Open, while the men placed third in a stacked field in the 8K Invitational.
Running against a field that featured NCAA schools like San Jose State and Cal State Los Angeles, the two-time defending NAIA National Champion and #2-ranked CSUSM women’s team dominated the 5K on Saturday, Sept. 17. Suzanne Cornwell won the race outright with an outstanding time of 17:11 – the second fastest in CSUSM cross-country history.
After four unattached (noncollegiate) runners crossed the finish line, including CSUSM alums Whitney Patton and Jennifer Albright, the next collegiate finisher to cross the line was Carol Schryver. A 2010 All-American, Schryver ran 17:44 to place seventh overall and second in the collegiate competition.
Two more Cougars were right behind her as Chelsey Cortez continued her strong start to the season by placing eighth at 17:47, and two-time All-American Cady Villarreal taking ninth at 17:48. One spot later, Kelly Thompson finished in eleventh place at 18:02, giving the Cougars a sweep of the top-five collegiate spots.
Leading the remaining competitors for CSUSM were Heidi Swanson (14th, 18:09), Cassidy Reich (20th, 18:17), and Aubriele Rowe (28th, 18:30).
On the men’s side, the Cougars posted a strong third-place finish, only finishing behind Southern Utah and host school UC Riverside and finishing in front of NAIA competitors Cal Baptist and Master’s College in the 25- team field.
So far this season, Danny Lyon and 2010 All-American Western Nelson have established themselves as the two top runners for the Cougars and that held true on Saturday, Sept. 17. Nelson placed eighth in the field of nearly 250 runners, coming within 2 seconds of breaking the school record for the 8K with a time of 24:16.
Right behind him was Lyon, who took ninth with a time of 24:19. Nelson and Lyon are both All-American threats, and having two runners of that class is a major reason why Coach Steve Scott’s #7-ranked men’s cross-country team is in the hunt for its first National Championship.
Of course, to win a national title it takes depth and CSUSM will be looking to build that throughout the 2011 season. On Sept. 17, Ismael Rodriguez placed 43rd at 25:20, Ryan Jensen took 48th at 25:22 and Armando Lara rounded out the team’s top-five by placing 58th at 25:29, all finishing within 10 seconds of one another to help the team to its third place finish.
Leading the remaining Cougars were Easton Tackett (72nd; 25:36) and Lenny Santana (75th; 25:37).
CSUSM cross-country will be back in action in two weeks at the Pomona Pitzer Invitational.