Meet Week Preview
Highlander Invitational (5K)
Saturday, Oct. 12 | 8:40 a.m. PT | UCR Agricultural Operations Course | Riverside, Calif.
The San Diego State cross country team heads back to UC Riverside for the Highlander Invitational this Saturday. The Aztecs raced on this course a month ago, running a 6k in the UC Riverside Invitational on Sept. 15, where they took seventh out of 21 teams.
This time SDSU will be running a 5k, which begins 8:40 a.m. Live results will be available on GoAztecs.com. The UC Riverside course is mostly flat with a few rolling hills, and hard packed dirt with pre-competition watering to reduce dust. It is run through the agricultural operations center which features 100-year-old citrus trees.
A record 15 Aztecs will be competing in this meet. Paige Comiso, Caitlyn Couch, Marissa D'Atri, Isabelle Davis, Alize Hartke, Renee Laurenzana, Carlene Masar, Nyjari McNeil, Natalie Medina, Renee Phillips, Natalie Regalado, Sakura Roberson, Danielle Scott, Naomi Smitham, and Angela Wilson.
Last Time Out
The Aztecs finished in 11th place (out of 26 teams) at the Capital Cross Challenge 6k two weeks ago. They finished in seventh among 14 DI schools.
Carlene Masar was the Aztecs' top finisher, clocking in at 22:30.0, good for 51st place. The rest of the Aztecs' top five consisted of: Paige Comiso (61st; 22:42.2), Renee Laurenzana (68th; 22:48.9), Alize Hartke (72nd; 22:52.0) and Marissa D'Atri (78th; 22:55.9).
"Carlene Masar and Paige Comiso continue to turn in solid performances each race and are only getting stronger as the season progresses," Coach Robert Lusitana said.
Also competing for the Aztecs was Caitlyn Couch (129th; 23:38.5), SDSU's top runner in the last meet, and Natalie Regalado (193rd; 23:42.9).
There were also four Aztecs who competed unattached at the Masters University XC Invitational 5k in Santa Clarita, Calif.: Renee Phillips (61st; 19:31.6), Isabelle Davis (72nd; 19:49.7), Natalie Medina (80th; 19:59.1) and Naomi Smitham (113th; 20:38.8).
Aztec Storylines
• San Diego State has run the 5K Agricultural Operations Course Course nine times since it was laid out in 2003. Their best finish came in 2015 when took first place with a team time of 1:28.43.7, led by Elaine Ribeiro (17:31.7). Last year, the Aztecs took 7th and were led by Lily Seynaeve (17:37.8).
• Four Aztecs will be making their season debut on Saturday: Nyjari McNeil, Sakura Roberson, Danielle Scott, and Angela Wilson. It will be the first collegiate competition for McNeil, a highly-recruited track star.
• Sophomore Renee Phillips ran her first race of the season two weeks ago, pacing the four unattached runners at the Master's University Invite 5k with a time of 19:31.6, good for 61st.
• The Aztecs have had a spread of less than 30 seconds among their top five runners in all three races this season.
Aztecs Ready to Run at Highlander Invitational
