SEATTLE, WASH. – San Diego State women’s track and field is preparing to send a contingent of 11 athletes up north to compete in a pair of day-long meets hosted by the University of Washington. The UW Invitational on Friday, January 30 and Mile City on Saturday, January 31 will serve as the debut meet for the Aztec’s middle and long-distance athletes.
On Friday, the UW Invitational is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. PT. The Aztec’s will have 10 athletes racing in the 800-meter run while Vanessa Cabello is slated to make her 2026 debut in the 3,000 meters. SDSU last competed at the UW Invitational in 2024 and was highlighted by Cabello setting personal best in the 800-meters as well as the third fastest time in program history for the 3,000 meters.
On Saturday, the focus will shift to the mile as eight of the Aztec’s 800-meter competitors from Friday will also race at the Mile City meet. San Diego State has had a history of success at Mile City as recently as the 2025 season where the trio of Cabello, Isabella Fauria and Emily Van Valkenburg all set top 10 program marks. Fauria returns to Seattle this year with a chance to continue to climb the record books.
As well as successful veterans, the Aztecs will see three freshmen make their first ever collegiate, indoor track appearances. Elliana Lomeli, Ginger Oberg and Emily Russo will all double, racing in both the 800-meter and mile. Oberg (4:58.24), Lomeli (4:46.0) and Russo (4:58.0) all posted sub-five-minute personal bests in the 1600-meter during their high school careers and could be poised for strong performances as they begin to compete in the collegiate ranks.
This will be the second weekend in a row in which the Aztecs compete. After their trip to Seattle, the team will head to Nevada where they are set to compete inside the Reno-Sparks Convention Center at the Wolf Pack Classic & Combined Event from February 5 through February 7.
Individual Notes
- The 10 athletes set to compete in the 800m are the most Aztecs in one single event so far this season. Tatum Zinkin has the fastest seed time for SDSU (2:09.98).
- Isabella Fauria will be the top seeded Aztec in the mile with a seed time of 4:51.92.
- Of the 11 athletes going to Seattle, nine of them also competed in Cross Country this fall. Anna Mager and Karina Janik are the two exceptions and will both race in the 800m.