Cross Country

Cross Country Heads to Sacramento for NCAA West Regionals

The Aztecs will race six kilometers at the Arcade Creek Cross Country Course with the start set for 9:00 a.m. PT.

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Cross Country Heads to Sacramento for NCAA West RegionalsCross Country Heads to Sacramento for NCAA West Regionals

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 Arcade Creek Cross Course. The Aztecs will face off against a highly competitive field that features a pair nationally ranked programs according to the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. Oregon is currently 11th and newly minted Pac-12 champion, Washington State, ranks 17th in the nation.  Boise State has also begun to receive national votes. Only the sophomore duo of Emilia Greenway and Emily Russo saw action at last year’s regional championship. Greenway posted a final time of 22:12.2 while Russo completed the course with a time of 22:21.7.

This year’s Aztec team will likely feature multiple athletes making their NCAA Regional debut. The freshmen pairing of Ariella Llorens and Skylar Watts has been dynamic. The pair have quickly established themselves as some of the best freshmen in program history. Llorens secured a 19th place finish at SDSU’s first ever Pac-12 Championship meet, the best finish for an individual Aztec at a conference championship race since Lital Azulay’s 5th place finish at the 2005 Mountain West Championship. She also owns the fastest six-kilometer time by an Aztec since Jessica Kain’s 19:58.3 performance at the 2023 Highlander Invitational and the second fastest six-kilometer performance by an Aztec since the women’s races moved to a six-kilometer distance. Watts was the Aztec’s top finisher at the Bill Dellinger Invitational (29th place) and at the Saint Mary’s Invitational (13th place) and owns a six-kilometer personal best of 21:30.2. Isabella Frisone, Elliana Lomeli and Karina Janik are set to join the two freshmen while Delaney Johns, Emilia Greenway, Emily Russo and Alexis Wolfinger will compete to secure the final spots on the race day roster.

Last Time Out

  • Llorens secured a 19th place finish at SDSU’s first ever Pac-12 championship meet, the best finish for an individual Aztec at a conference championship race since Lital Azulay’s 5th place finish at the 2005 Mountain West Championship.
  • The Aztecs totaled 219 points, good for a seventh-place finish at the Pac-12 Championship.
  • SDSU had five underclassmen (three freshmen, two sophomores) compete at the conference championship.

Individual Notes

  • Llorens was the Aztec’s top individual finisher at three meets (Aztec Coastal Classic, Highlander Invitational & Pac-12 Championships.)
  • Watts was the Aztec’s top individual finisher at two meets (Saint Mary’s Invitational & Bill Dellinger Invitational).
  • Llorens owns the fastest six-kilometer time by an Aztec (20:21.2) since Jessica Kain’s 19:58.3 performance at the 2023 Highlander Invitational and is the second fastest six-kilometer performance by an Aztec since the women’s races moved to a six-kilometer distance.
  • Llorens led SDSU to their second team victory of any race length since 2016 at the Aztec Coastal Classic (5k). Ran 16:55.0, took 2nd place as an individual.