California Baptist University
RCC Invite
The 2024 Outdoor Track Season set to Commence on Friday
2/26/2024 5:26:00 PM | Cross Country & Track
RIVERSIDE--- The 2024 Outdoor Track season is set to commence for California Baptist University this Friday as they compete at the RCC Invite.
"The first meet (of the season) really serves as an opportunity to break the ice and get a meet in," said Head Coach Adam Tribble. "Hopefully, we will take some good steps forward as we prepare for the rest of the season."
Other meets the Lancers will compete in include the Ben Brown Invitational, Stanford Invite, and the Bryan Clay Invitational. CBU will not have to leave the confines of California as all seven will be hosted inside the Golden State.
Last season was the first season the Lancers were postseason eligible, and they took full advantage with six West Regional qualifiers and two runners qualifying for the National Championships in Austin, Texas. All six regional qualifiers are returning for the Lancers, and Yasna Petrova and Greta Karinauskaite, the national qualifiers a season ago, will also return after stellar seasons. The six regional qualifiers include Petrova and Karinauskiate, along with Arturs Medveds, Valentin Soca, Matias Reynaga, and Giedrius Valincius.
Karinauskaite had a season for the ages in 2023, setting the program record for the 5,000-meter and 3,000-meter steeplechase. Karinauskaite's time of 9:26.88 in the steeplechase was set at the West Regionals and set multiple records. The time was the fastest-ever run by a Lithuanian-born athlete, the fastest-ever run at the West Regionals, and the sixth fastest-time-ever run in NCAA history.
Karinauskaite followed up that record-shattering performance with a silver medal run at the NCAA National in Austin, Texas. Her time of 9:30.85 earned her First Team All-American status and the eighth fastest time in NCAA history. To top off the season, Greta was also named the USTFCCCA West Region Women's Athlete of the Year.
The season will crescendo with the postseason beginning on May 9 with the Western Athletic Conference Championships that will be held in Orem, Utah, this year. At last year's WAC Championships, the Lancers brought home three individual titles, seven First Team All-WAC awards, and four All-WAC Second Team finishes. Regionals will be held in Fayetteville, Arkansas, beginning on May 22, and the season will include with Nationals held in Eugene, Oregon, from June 5-8.
The season kicks off this Friday at the RCC Invitational, with events starting at 2:15 PM on Riverside City College's campus.
Players Mentioned
