California Baptist University
WAC Championships
The Men Claim Their Fourth Straight WAC Title While the Women Finish Second
10/27/2023 9:14:00 AM | Cross Country & Track
ABILENE--- The California Baptist University cross country team competed in their sixth Western Athletic Conference cross country championships, with the Lancers earning a first and second place finish in the races.
For the men, it was their fourth straight conference title, and for the women, it was the sixth consecutive season they have finished first or second in the race. CBU came into the race as the favorites and lived up to the billing with a strong performance from both teams out of the gate.
🚨Back-to-Back-to-Back-to-Back🚨
— CBU XC & Track (@CBUXCTF) October 27, 2023
The men earn five top 10 finishers and an individual champion to claim their fourth @WACsports title!!#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/WM8h8afRqR
Coming into the race, both teams were nationally recognized in the polls, securing their highest rankings in program history. The men vaulted to fifth in the nation and were tabbed the top team in the West Region over teams like Stanford, Washington, and Oregon. The women, meanwhile, were ranked 12th in the country and fourth in the West Region, trailing only Stanford, Oregon, and Oregon State.
The rankings resulted from solid showings at a pair of prestigious races in the Roy Griak Invitational and the Nuttycombe Invitational. The teams pulled off a sweep of Griak and top-10 finishes at Nuttycombe to earn their spots in the polls.
The men's 8K began the day in Abilene, Texas, with the men continuing their phenomenal season, sweeping the podium, and bringing home the title for a fourth straight WAC title. The men finished 40 points clear of the next competitor, Utah Valley, and dominated the 88-runner field.
The Lancers had the individual champion of the race in Arturs Medveds with a time of 23:37.9. Medveds became the fourth individual WAC Champion for the men in program history and collected his third-straight First Team All-WAC award. Running side by side with Medveds were Giedrius Valincius and Valentin Soca, who finished second and third, respectively, and brought home First Team All-WAC honors. For Valincius, it was his fifth-straight time earning First Team honors, and the second-straight season he produced a second-place finish.
📍The Winner's Circle 🔥#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/NBXsQ1mpaU
— CBU XC & Track (@CBUXCTF) October 27, 2023
Matias Reynaga made it four CBU runners crossing the finish line in a row as he finished at 23:42.7. Rikus Van Niekerk turned in a solid performance with a seventh-place finish, giving CBU five runners in the top ten. Van Niekerk and Reynaga both garnered First Team All-WAC status for their placement. Joaquin Campos and Pedro Marin captured Second Team honors with top 20 placement, while Massimiliano Berti rounded out the men's race in 26th.
The women's 6K rounded out the day in the Lone Star State, finishing second in the field with 36 points behind only Utah Valley who had 30 points. The women earned their first individual champion since 2020, with Greta Karinauskaite topping the podium at 19:49.80. Karinauskaite cruised to the title with no runner within 30 seconds of her time and secured her fourth-straight First Team All-WAC finish. Grace McLaughlin claimed third place in her first trip to the WAC Championships and nabbed First Team honors along with Marina Trave.
🏆Award Season 🏆
— CBU XC & Track (@CBUXCTF) October 27, 2023
Most All-WAC awards for the women in program history!! 👏🔥#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/vuFTld7IUI
The Lancers were well-represented in the top 20, with Yasna Petrova, Emilia Mikszuta, Carlota Rodes, Abir Reffas, and Maja Dzialoszewska claiming Second Team All-WAC awards. Petrova topped the group in 11th, earning a third consecutive All-WAC award.
All eight CBU runners earned All-WAC for the first time in program history for the women and showcased the team's depth. The race now leads the Lancers into the NCAA West Regionals and possibly a trip to Nationals, where Head Coach Adam Tribble and the team now shift their focus toward.
"Certainly ups and downs along the way today, but now we put all the focus on preparing for the West Regionals in two weeks."
Next, the NCAA DI West Regionals will be held in Sacramento on Friday, November 10.
Players Mentioned
