Sept. 24, 2014 SAN DIEGO -
2014 SDSU XC TOP TIMES | MEET SCHEDULE/RESULTS | MEET INFO
The San Diego State cross country team completes a busy three-week stretch when it travels to Stanford, Calif., for the 41st annual Stanford Invitational on Saturday (Sept. 27). The Aztecs will be competing in the college women's 6,000-meter race, which will start at 10:30 a.m. PT on the Stanford Golf Course.
More than 40 teams are expected to run in the women's 6K (according to the entry lists), including the meet-host Cardinal, which is ranked No. 4 in the latest USTFCCCA Division I poll. Also competing in the meet are six teams ranked in the west region (No. 8 Loyola Marymount, No. 9 San Francisco, No. 10 California, No. 11 Cal Poly, No. 13 Washington State and No. 15 UC Santa Barbara), three Division II ranked teams (No. 5 Chico State, No. 9 Simon Fraser and No. 14 UC San Diego) and one Division III ranked team (No. 17 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps).
SDSU is coming off a runner-up finish at the 70th annual Aztec Invitational last weekend, despite having its runners run together through the 2-mile mark of the 5K course (3.1 miles) and only six of its 12 runners finish in preparation for this weekend's Stanford meet. Grace Hanshaw was the team's top finisher, taking seventh out of 67 runners with a time of 19 minutes, 32 seconds.
San Diego State, which has taken third (Mark Covert Classic), fourth (UC Riverside invitational 6K) and third (UC Riverside open 5K), and second (Aztec Invitational) this season so far, will be sending Dynasty Gammage, Hanshaw, Chelsea Kruthers, Jessica McCall, Elaine Ribeiro, Rachel Roesgen, Lily Seynaeve and Cassidy Towner to this weekend's meet.
Ribeiro has been the team's top performer this year in each of her races, taking sixth of 94 in 18:46.0 at the Mark Covert Classic 5K and 17th of 172 in 21:42.6 at the UC Riverside 6K. The latter time was the seventh-fastest mark at the 6K distance in school history.
Seynaeve and Hanshaw have also produced fast times heading to the midpoint of the season. Seynaeve was the team's No. 3 runner at the Mark Covert Classic (18:39.8) and the No. 2 finisher at the UC Riverside Invitational (21:44.9). Hanshaw, meanwhile, has been the Aztecs' No. 2 runner at the Mark Covert Classic (18:39.1), No. 3 at the UCR Invite (21:51.0) and top finisher at the Aztec Invite (19:32.8) last weekend. The 21:44.9 and 21:51.0 by Seynaeve and Hanshaw at the UCR Invite are ranked eighth and 10th, respectively, all-time at SDSU.
This weekend's race is a tune-up for the NCAA West Regional Championships, which will take place on the same course on Nov. 14. In between the Stanford Invitational (Sept. 27) and the west regionals (No. 14) are the UCR Highlander Invitational (Oct. 18) and Mountain West Championships (Oct. 31).
With rolling hills and more than 300 oak trees, the course is both challenging and picturesque. At the conclusion of the day, nearly 3,500 runners (including the numerous high school races) will have competed, making the Stanford Invitational one of the largest cross country events in the country.
The Stanford Golf Course is located at 91 Links Rd., Stanford, CA 94305. Entry for spectators is on Electioneer Road, just off Campus Drive near the first green of the course. Spectators may purchase admission tickets for $10 Saturday only at the course.
Results will be posted on GoAztecs.com when they become available.