XC Preview: Lancers Take on Pre-Nationals Friday and Highlander Invitational Saturday

Friday, October 16

Terre Haute, IN

California Baptist University

Under Armour Pre-National Invitational

Photo by: Will Carter

XC Preview: Lancers Take on Pre-Nationals Friday and Highlander Invitational Saturday

10/15/2026 12:00:00 PM | Cross Country & Track

By: Will Carter, Assistant Director of Athletic Communications & Digital Media

RIVERSIDE – The Lancers are back in action this week as the team splits the squad for the final time this season, preparing for their final two meets before the Big West Championships on Oct. 31. CBU will send part of the team to the Under Armour Pre-National Invitational in Terre Haute, Indiana, on Friday, while the rest of the squad will compete at the Highlander Invitational in Riverside on Saturday morning.

With two meets remaining before the conference championships, CBU looks to carry its momentum into the final stretch of the season. On the men's side, juniors Pedro Marin and Itumeleng Ngxabazi and sophomore Yemane Mulugeta have been performing well, as all three finished in the top five at the Cougar Challenge on Oct. 3. The trio will look to continue building on those performances heading into the postseason.

On the women's side, juniors Helena Mees and Ana Mees, along with Keely Bradle, have led the way for the Lancers. All three finished in the top 10 at the Cougar Challenge and will look to keep their momentum going as the team prepares for the conference championships.

Under Armour Pre-National Invitational

Meet: Under Armour Pre-National Invitational (hosted by Indiana State University)
Date: Friday, October 16th
Time: Women's 6k – 7:00 A.M. PT; Men's 8k – 7:40 A.M. PT
Location: LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course | Terre Haute, Indiana
Live Results: HERE
Live Stream: RunnerSpace+

The meet will be streamed on RunnerSpace through its subscription service.

This will be CBU's second trip to Indiana this season after competing at the John McNichols Invitational in September. The Lancers were originally scheduled to compete at the Arturo Barrios Invitational in Texas on Friday but changed their plans to give the team a better opportunity to strengthen its chances of earning an at-large bid to the NCAA Championships.

CBU will send its top eight runners from each gender to Indiana. Marin, Ngxabazi and Mulugeta will highlight the men's lineup, while Bradle, the Mees sisters and junior Karolina Bliujute will lead the women's team.

The meet will feature top teams from across the country, including nationally ranked Utah State and BYU, as well as Big West opponent Utah Valley.

Highlander Invitational

Meet: Highlander Invitational (Hosted by UC Riverside)
Date: Saturday, October 17th
Time: Men's 8k – 8 am; Women's 6k – 8:40 am
Location: UC Riverside Ag Ops Course | Riverside, Calif.
Live Results: HERE

The rest of the CBU squad will compete Saturday morning at the Highlander Invitational, held at UC Riverside's Agriculture Operations Course. The course will also host this year's Big West Conference Championships on Oct. 31, giving the Lancers another opportunity to prepare for the conference meet.

Junior Jude Enriquez and freshman Kaeden Dendorfer will look to lead the men's team, while junior Alexis Noble and sophomore Emely Ruiz will lead the women's squad. Both Enriquez and Noble recorded personal-best performances on the course in September and will look to improve on those times on Saturday.

CBU will also have Ernestor Ruiz, Victor Rosas, Fatima Mena Ximello and Sarah Schiffmann compete unattached on Saturday morning. At the September meet, Ruiz won the men's race, while Rosas finished in the top five. Ximello also had a strong performance on the women's side, finishing as the runner-up.