Strong Team, Individual Performances and a Record Run Highlight CBU's Season Opener

Saturday, January 23

Hurricane, Utah

11:15 AM

California Baptist University

Dixie State Invitational

Strong Team, Individual Performances and a Record Run Highlight CBU's Season Opener

1/23/2021 2:37:00 PM | Cross Country & Track

By: Andrew Shortall, Director of Athletics Communications

HURRICANE – California Baptist University cross country opened the season at the Dixie State Invite on Saturday, with a pair of top-three team and individual finishes highlighting the day.

The Lancers' women secured a runner-up finish to begin the year, while the men took third place in a field that included two teams receiving votes in the NCAA Division I rankings. Ivo Balabanov and Anna Mate led their respective teams with respective second and third-place finishes.

"All in all we had a good solid day on both sides," Coach Adam Tribble said. "It's good to finally break the ice and compete once again, and I know we had some big butterflies all around. Both teams had some bright spots and some things we need to improve on, but this should be a good omen for what's to come. I think both teams showed promise that they can be quite good when all is said and done."

In his cross country debut, Balabanov set CBU's 8,000-kilometer record with a time of 23 minutes, 45.3 seconds. It obliterated the previous record of 23:59.8 set by Valentin Robert in 2016 and was good for a runner-up finish in the event overall Saturday. It was not far off the overall winner, Utah State's Camren Todd (23:40.5).

🚨 RECORD ALERT 🚨

Ivo Balabanov breaks CBU's 8K record in his cross country debut. His time of 23:45.3 obliterates the previous record of 23:59.8 and was good for second place at the Dixie State Invite. #LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/yJmx2f9y6D
— CBU XC & Track (@CBUXCTF) January 23, 2021

Anna Mate led the women with a third-place finish in the 6,000-kilometer race, with a time of 20 minutes, 43.7 seconds. It is the 11^th-best time 6,000-kilometer time in program history.

Three Lancers finished in the top-10: true freshman Greta Karinauskaite took sixth in 20:55.8 and Emilie Renaud placed 10^th in 21:20.3. Karinauskaite's first-ever 6K time ranks 14^th in CBU history.

True freshman Emilia Mikszuta and Luz Karen Olivera rounded out the scorers for CBU in 17^th (21:40.7) and 19^th (21:46.6), respectively. Arizona State transfer Daan Haven gave the Lancers six runners in the top-20 Saturday (20^th, 21:51.8).

🔥🔥🔥

Here's a look at our top-five finishers on the women's side at the Dixie State Invite. Both Anna Mate and Greta Karinauskaite finished in the top six overall and logged top-15 6K times in program history. #LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/mOJ5knxscd
— CBU XC & Track (@CBUXCTF) January 23, 2021

Utah State won the team title on the women's side, with a 42. CBU's score of 55 was not far off in second place and an eight-point cushion between the Lancers and Western Athletic Conference foe Utah Valley in third place (63). Weber State (87), Southern Utah (121), Idaho State (172) and Dixie State (202) rounded out the field.

The Aggies won the men's title, too, with 31 points, while Southern Utah took runner-up (36). Utah State came into the season receiving votes in the NCAA Division I poll, while the Thunderbirds are ranked No. 16 overall.
CBU's third-place finish on the men's side (58) earned it a head-to-head victory over Utah Valley (107), Idaho State (165) and Dixie State (170).

Cameron Hylton (24:22.7) and Giedrius Valincius (24:23.3) gave the Lancers three top-12 finishers, as they finished back-to-back at No. 11 and 12, respectively.

Ivo Balabanov, Cameron Hylton and Giedrius Valincius led the men at the Dixie State Invite, with each finishing in the top-12 overall.#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/9SeacqT83J
— CBU XC & Track (@CBUXCTF) January 24, 2021

It was a competition for the final scoring spot, as three Lancers finished in a row for spots 16 through 18. San Jose State transfer Luis Chavez led that group (24:32.8), followed by Florian LePallec (24:37.7) and true freshman Rikus Van Niekerk (24:40.1).

CBU will take a week off from competition before racing at the Florida State Winter Meet on Feb. 5. It will serve as the last regular-season event before the WAC Championships on Feb. 27 in Seattle.