Meet Week Preview
Silver State Collegiate Challenge (6k)
Monday, Feb. 1 | 9 a.m. PT | North Las Vegas | Craig Ranch Regional Park
SAN DIEGO - The San Diego State cross country team will run in their first meet of the season on Monday when they compete in the Silver State Collegiate Challenge. It will be the Aztecs' first race since November 15, 2019 after the traditional fall season was pushed back to the spring due to COVID-19.
The 6k race will be at the Craig Ranch Regional Park and will feature three 2k loops on grass. The field will be broken down for precautionary reasons and SDSU's race will include Air Force, Boise State, Grand Canyon, Nevada, Utah and Utah Valley State. The forecast calls for clouds, but no precipitation, with temperatures in the low 50's.
The Aztecs will have Emily Burd, Amber Elias, Jessica Kain, Lauren Harper, Carlene Masar, Renee Phillips, Naomi Smitham and Bailey Watts competing. It will be the first race as an Aztec for Burd, Elias and Watts. Elias and Watts are freshmen and Burd is a transfer from Pittsburgh who competed for the SDSU track and field team in the 2020 spring season. Burd was on the Aztec distance medley relay team that set a school record at the Mountain West Indoor Championships.
Carlene Masar returns for her junior year after being the top Aztec finisher in five of her six races last season. She finished the season strong, finishing the NCAA West Regionals (6k) with a career-best time in 21:44.5.
Renee Phillips, the lone returning senior, finished in the top five among SDSU runners in every race last year.
Coach Robert Lusitana will be overseeing the SDSU XC team for the fourth season.
The Aztecs will only run one other race, competing in the Mountain West Championships on March 5 on the same Las Vegas course.
Aztecs Open Season at Silver State Collegiate Challenge
