SAN DIEGO -- San Diego State Cross Country will officially begin their 2026 season in their own backyard as the program will host the Aztec Coastal Classic this Thursday along the SDSU Mission Valley River Park. The course, right next to Snapdragon Stadium, will consist of a five-kilometer race featuring a handful of southern California NCAA Division I opponents as well as local NCAA Division II Point Loma. The meet will be highlighted by all three of San Diego County’s Division I universities facing off as the Aztecs compete against the Toreros of the University of San Diego and Tritons from UC San Diego. UC Irvine is also slated to compete.
Roster Preview
- The Aztecs returned five athletes from last season. All five will be entering their sophomore year with Emilia Greenway, Elliana Lomeli, Ginger Oberg, Emily Russo and Alexis Wolfinger all having seen action at various times last year’s across the cross country, indoor track and outdoor track seasons.
- Elliana Lomeli set the indoor mile freshman record and was the sixth fastest indoor mile performance in program history last year. She ran 4:58.29 at the University of Washington Mile City meet in Seattle.
- Emilia Greenway has the fastest six-kilometer time among the Aztec’s returners. She ran 21:40.0 at the UC Riverside Invitational last season.
- Emily Russo’s 18:52.6 performance at last year’s Aztec Coastal Classic was the fastest among this year’s returners.
- Seven freshmen have joined the program for the 2026 season. San Diego native Ariella Llorens owns a high school personal best of 17:42.9 in the 5k, the fastest time of all the incoming freshmen. Skylar Watts, Delaney Johns and Olivia Campos all own personal best of sub-18 minutes as well.
- The lone upperclassman on the roster will be incoming transfer Isabella Frisone from Pac-12 rival, Boise State. Frisone last competed during Cross Country season in 2024. She most recently raced at the 2026 Mountain West Outdoor Championships where she took eighth place in the 800-meter run and owns a 1,500m personal best of 4:22.12.
- The seven incoming freshmen mark the most first year collegiate runners on the roster since the 2018 season and are the second most in head coach Robert Lusitana’s time with the Aztecs.
Looking Back to 2025
- The Aztecs 18th-place finish at the NCAA West Regionals at the Haggin Oaks Golf Course is the team's second highest placement at an NCAA regional meet since 2005.
- The program’s seventh-place finish at the 2025 MW Championships is tied for the best finish at a conference championship meet since the 2005 season.
- Emilia Greenway was a top three SDSU finisher in three meets during her first season as an Aztec, including at the MW Championships.