OTF Preview: CBU Heads to Arlington for Final Run at WAC OTF Championships

Thursday, May 14

Arlington, TX

5 PM- Start Time

California Baptist University

WAC Outdoor Track Championships

Photo by: Ryley Collom

OTF Preview: CBU Heads to Arlington for Final Run at WAC OTF Championships

5/12/2026 10:15:00 AM | Cross Country & Track

By: Ryley Collom, Assistant Director of Athletic Communications & Digital Media

RIVERSIDE--- The California Baptist University track team will embark on its final run at the Western Athletic Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships this coming weekend, with events beginning on Thursday afternoon in Arlington, TX.

The Lancers have earned 80 All-WAC awards in outdoor track since competing in the conference and will look to add more to the trophy shelf this weekend. CBU's distance-only program will compete in the 800, 1500, 3000M Steeplechase, 5K, and 10K events over the three-day championships at Maverick Stadium on the campus of UT Arlington.

During the season, the Lancers set multiple PRs and top-10 program records as they competed in several prestigious meets, including the Bryan Clay, Payton Jordan, Stanford, and Bob Larsen. Sean Smith's team garnered six top-ten program times this season and has earned a handful of regional qualifying times.

Leading the way for the Lancers this week will be a deep group on both the men's and women's teams. Ava Dyck is the lone returning champ on the team, looking to defend her 5K crown after winning the event in Arlington last season with a time of 16:53.31. Other returning All-WAC finishers include Victor Rosas, Finn Anspach, and Karolina Bliujute. Helena Mees, Mahaut Cooren, and Sarah Schiffman are other names to watch on the women's side, as they have been the strongest runners for most of the season. On the men's side, Ernesto Ruiz will look to win the first men's steeplechase title since 2022 as he has already secured a West Regional qualifying mark with a time of 8:44.47. Other names to watch on the men's side will be Nicolai Martino, Jude DeVries, and Gabriel Guzman.