SAN DIEGO -- San Diego State Cross Country successfully hosted their first home meet in seven years with 11 Aztecs competing in the first ever Aztec Coastal Classic. Familiar faces Vanessa Cabello, Samantha Wood, Emily Van Valkenburg, Sara Jones and Madison Parrone were joined by six newcomers.
Cabello picked up where she left off from the 2024 season securing a top 10 individual finish while also being the first Aztec to cross the finish line. The senior completed the five-kilometer course with a final time of 18:25, putting her at an average of 5:56 per mile during the three-mile race.
The veteran duo of Samantha Wood and Emily Van Valkenburg would also post solid outings as well. Wood claimed a top 15 finish on the evening with a final time of 18:46 while Van Valkenburg crossed the finish line in 18:58. On a roster featuring five freshmen, this duo will be called upon to lead the team both on the course and off it.
Among the newest additions to the program, freshman Emily Russo put together a very solid race along the Mission Valley River. Russo finished her college debut sandwiched between Wood and Van Valkenburg while also producing a sub-19-minute mark. Her time of 18:53 was the fourth fastest time among freshmen.
Rounding out the team’s point scorers was sophomore Sara Jones. Jones finished the course with a time of 19:06 while finishing 23rd overall.
One of the highlights of the evening was the collegiate debut of five freshman. Russon was the first to cross the finish line with Elliana Lomeli, Emilia Greenway, Ginger Oberg and Alexis Wolfinger all competing for the first time in their college careers. Lomeli managed to finish with a final mark of 19:16 with Greenway not far behind with a 19:26 final time. Oberg and Wolfinger were similarly close with the pair separated by just six seconds and one post on the final leaderboard.
Next Up: The Aztecs will enjoy almost a month of preparation and training before their next meet. The team will split-up with athletes competing in both the Gans Creek Classic in Columbia, Missouri on September 26th and the UC Riverside Invitational on September 27th.
Individual Results
- 9th Vanessa Cabello – 18:25
- 15th Samantha Wood – 18:46
- 17th Emily Russo – 18:53
- 18th Emily Van Valkenburg – 18:58
- 23th Sara Jones – 19:06
- 25th Elliana Lomeli – 19:16
- 27th Rebekah Niednagel – 19:24
- 28th Emilia Greenway – 19:26
- 35th Ginger Oberg – 19:49
- 37th Alexis Wolfinger – 19:55
- 52th Madison Parrone – 21:31