California Baptist University
RCC Invitational
CBU Opens Up 2025 Outdoor Season at RCC
2/28/2025 10:17:00 PM | Cross Country & Track
RIVERSIDE--- The California Baptist University track squad opened up the 2025 Outdoor Season at the Riverside Community College Invitational on Friday evening with some solid performances from both the men's and women's teams.
CBU competed in the 1500 and 3000M events at Wheelock Stadium as Sean Smith embarked on his first-ever outdoor season with the Lancers as head coach. CBU's day would begin with the women's 1500M as five Lancer runners competed in the 50+ runner field. Laura Acuna would be the top finisher for the women in the first heat as she placed second with a time of 4:31.60. The time put her just one second behind the first-place runner from Azusa Pacific University and would be a new personal best time for Acuna. A trio of Lancers would follow closely behind Acuna as Petra Sara Kiss, Helena Mees, and Nausica Magnani would finish 4th, 5th, and 6th in the heat.
The men's 1500M was next on deck as CBU raced six in the competitive field. In the faster heat, Daniel Abdala, Ernesto Ruiz, Lorenzo Riba, and Victor Rosas would compete for the Lancers. Abdala picked up right where he left off from a successful cross-country season and would take the top spot in the race, pacing the group with a time of 3:53.55. Not too far behind would be former RCC Tiger Ernesto Ruiz, who would place fourth at 3:56.20 and be followed closely by teammates Riba and Rosas, who would all place in the top 10.
After a small break, CBU returned to the track to compete in the men's and women's 3000M event with a larger contingent of runners competing for the Lancers. The women were on deck first, with six runners competing in the 42-runner field. Ava Dyck was impressive for the Lancers, earning a personal best time of 9:29.66 and bringing home a second-place finish for the Lancers. Dyck is coming off a terrific cross-country season in which she was the Western Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year and an All-West Region performer as a true freshman for CBU. Dyck was not alone among the top finishers as her teammates Ceyda Pinar, Karolina Bliujute, and Anna Lawrukajtis would finish 5th, 6th, and 7th in the heat and all earn personal best times. Olissa Onley would round out the top ten with a time of 10:26.46.
The final race for the Lancers would be the men's 3000M, as six Lancers took to the track for the event. CBU would dominate the race as four of the top five finishers donned the navy blue singlets. Pedro Marin would be the individual champion with an impressive kick over the final two laps and ended with a time of 8:19.96. Abdala, Adam Trefecanty, and Talon Rodriguez would have equally impressive finishes as they would take the third, fourth, and fifth spots on the podium.
In all, the Lancers had five podium finishers at the RCC Invitational and would take home the top place in both the men's races they competed in. CBU will return to the track on Friday, March 7, at the Ben Brown Invite in Fullerton, CA.
Players Mentioned
