SACRAMENTO, CALIF. – San Diego State Cross Country is once again heading up to northern California, this time to compete in the NCAA West Regional meet hosted by Sacramento State. The Aztecs will race over six kilometers at the Haggin Oaks Golf Course against a field of just under 40 NCAA Division I programs. Said field will include five teams that are currently ranked in the NCAA DI Women’s Cross Country-National Coaches’ Poll including Oregon (4), Stanford (14), Washington (18), Washington State (24) and Gonzaga (28). The trio of Vanessa Cabelo, Samantha Wood and Emily Van Valkenburg all saw action at last year’s regional meet and were the top three Aztecs to finish. Sophomore Sara Jones served as the team’s reserve runner last season and will now get the chance to make her NCAA West Regional debut. Emilia Greenway, Rebekah Niednagel and Emily Russo will round out the rest of the team’s starting group while freshman Elliana Lomeli will travel as the team’s reserve.
Last Time Out
- The Aztecs are coming off arguably their best performance of the year at the Mountain West Championship meet. The teams seventh place finish was tied for the programs best showing since 2005.
- The Aztecs totaled 222 points, good for the second-best total since the 2012 conference championship meet.
- Vanessa Cabello returned to the lineup for just her second race of the season running 21:53.7.
- The duo of Emily Van Valkenburg and Samantha Wood both claimed top 50 finishes while a total of five Aztecs posted sub-22-minute final times.
Individual Notes
- Vanessa Cabello was the top Aztec at the 2024 NCAA West Regional Meet. She completed the six-kilometer course in 20:48.9 which stands as the fifth fastest six-kilometer time in program history.
- Samantha Wood finished the 2024 NCAA West Regional course in 21:03.9, good for the sixth fastest six-kilometer time in program history.
- Emily Van Valkenburg has been the top Aztec finisher on a team high two separate occasions (UCR Invitational and Mountain West Championships).