SAN DIEGO – San Diego State women’s cross country is set for postseason action on Friday as the compete in the NCAA West Regionals in Colfax, Wash. The 6K race will begin at 11 a.m. PT from the Colfax Golf Course.
Aztecs Competing: Vanessa Cabello, Isabella Fauria, Lauren Harper, Maddie Heller, Eva Rethmeier, Emily Van Valkenburg, Samantha Wood (Sara Jones reserve)
Last Time Out
- The Aztecs finished ninth at the Mountain West Championships with a total of 289 points.
- It was just the second time San Diego State raced at the Eisenhower Golf Course in Colorado Springs, Colo. - also the 2013 Mountain West Championships.
- Maddie Heller paced the team with a time of 23:28.8, the fastest by an Aztec on the Eisenhower Golf Course.
Individual Notes
- This season, Vanessa Cabello has a race victory (Mark Covert Classic), the SDSU Carbon Canyon Regional Park course record (17:47.1), the second fastest time at Pine Ridge Golf Club in program history (21:23.7), the fifth fastest mark on UCR’s Ag Ops 6K course (20:51.7) and now ranks fifth fastest in SDSU individual 6K history.
- Emily Van Valkenburg has been a huge addition to the roster this season finishing among the top three Aztecs in each race she’s competed in. She also ran the fourth fastest 6K race in program history at the Highlander Invitational (20:44.6) which also ranks second best on the UCR Ag Ops Course.
- Samantha Wood has also been steady all season long being one of the first four Aztecs across the finish line in each of her races including the top finisher at the Roy Griak Invitational with a time of 22:31.8.
- Similarly, Maddie Heller and Eva Rethmeier have been two of the point scorers for SDSU all season long. Heller set personal bests in both the 5K and 6K this year. Rethmeier’s lifetime best of 20:46.7 set during the 2023 season is the fifth fastest 6K in program history.
- Sara Jones, in just her second collegiate race, was the the top SDSU finisher at the UCR Invitational. Her sixth-place finish and 17:53.1 time earned her the first ever MW Freshman of the Week honor for San Diego State since the conference initiated the award in 2021.
- Of the 12 student-athletes who have raced this season, eight have recorded PRs.
NCAA Regional History
- San Diego State has set program best team times at the regional meet in two consecutive seasons. The all-time best prior to 2022 stood untouched for 16 years set in 2005.
- Last year, the Aztecs’ 1:47.37 was not only the best time in any NCAA Regional meet for the program but at the time was the third fastest of any 6K race (now ranks fourth).
- Placement-wise, last year’s 21st place team finish was the best result for the program since 2005. That year was also the last time SDSU has broken the top 20 in the regional race.
- Individually, all seven Aztecs have competed in a West Regional race in their career. Vanessa Cabello ran a 21:05.9 for the Aztecs last year, Eva Rethmeier ran a 21:12.6, Maddie Heller a 22:12.2 and Maddy Parrone a 23:22.1. Lauren Harper posted a 22:41.8 at the 2022 regionals for SDSU.
- Emily Van Valkenburg owns the fastest time at a regional meet among the seven, finishing the 2022 race in 20:22.9 for Oregon State. Similarly, Samantha Wood has competed in two NCAA Regional meets, 2022 and 2023 for Boise State, with a personal best of 20:47.5.