Friday, September 4
San Francisco, CA
4 PM
California Baptist University
vs
USF Invite
XC Preview: Lancers Set to Open 2026 Season at USF Invite
9/2/2026 2:00:00 PM | Cross Country & Track
RIVERSIDE -- Coming off another season of conference championship success, CBU cross country begins a new chapter Friday as the Lancers open the 2026 season at the USF Invite in San Francisco, Calif.
Meet Info
Meet: USF Invite (hosted by the University of San Francisco)
Date: Friday, September 4th
Time: 4 p.m. (PT)
Location: Golden Gate Park | San Francisco, Calif.
Live Results: HERE
USF Invite
Most of the team is expected to race in this weekend's meet, with a few men and women sitting out. This will mark CBU's first appearance at the USF Invite during its Division I era.
In the Rankings
Recently, the U.S. Track & Field and Cross-Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) released its Division I national and regional preseason rankings. The Lancer men were ranked No. 24 nationally, one spot higher than where they finished the 2025 season. The men were also ranked No. 3 in the West Region, behind No. 1 Oregon and No. 2 Washington State.
The Lancer women were ranked No. 6 in the West Region, moving up six spots from their No. 12 ranking in last year's preseason rankings.
Hear from the Head Coach
"I am really excited to see where everyone is at. Coming off a long summer of training, there are always a few surprises, and this year will be no different. We add in a lot of really good new runners, young runners, and we also have some great veterans returning. Watching them all mix together early in the season will be a lot of fun.
"It's early, and we are training pretty darn hard right now, so while we aren't peaking, it will still be fun to watch the competitive juices flow. We will also sit a few people to make sure we are 100% ready to go later, but overall, it will be a fun indicator of where our group is at," said head coach Sean Smith.
Team Analysis
The CBU men enter the season with six straight conference titles after dominating their time in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC).
Junior Pedro Marin and sophomore Gabriel Guzman are two key returners from last season. Marin placed 21st at the NCAA West Regional with a time of 29:56.9 in the 10K, while Guzman finished third overall at the WAC Championships with a time of 23:52.1 in the 8K.
On the women's side, CBU has enjoyed similar success, winning the 2025 WAC Championship and finishing in the top two at the conference championship for more than a decade.
Sophomores Ava Dyck and Helena Mees are two standouts expected to lead the Lancers this season. Dyck and Mees both finished in the top 10 at the WAC Championships in the 6K, finishing just fractions of a second apart with times of 20:35.40 and 20:35.90, respectively.
The men's and women's teams welcome 18 newcomers combined. Junior transfer Keely Bradle and freshman Fatima Mena will be valuable additions to the women's team, while junior transfer Itumeleng Ngxabazi and sophomore transfer Yemane Mulugeta add veteran experience to the men's side.
Smith has helped continue an impressive run of individual and team championships at both the conference and NCAA levels and will look to continue that success as CBU begins its first season competing for Big West championships.
Meet Info
Meet: USF Invite (hosted by the University of San Francisco)
Date: Friday, September 4th
Time: 4 p.m. (PT)
Location: Golden Gate Park | San Francisco, Calif.
Live Results: HERE
USF Invite
Most of the team is expected to race in this weekend's meet, with a few men and women sitting out. This will mark CBU's first appearance at the USF Invite during its Division I era.
In the Rankings
Recently, the U.S. Track & Field and Cross-Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) released its Division I national and regional preseason rankings. The Lancer men were ranked No. 24 nationally, one spot higher than where they finished the 2025 season. The men were also ranked No. 3 in the West Region, behind No. 1 Oregon and No. 2 Washington State.
The Lancer women were ranked No. 6 in the West Region, moving up six spots from their No. 12 ranking in last year's preseason rankings.
Hear from the Head Coach
"I am really excited to see where everyone is at. Coming off a long summer of training, there are always a few surprises, and this year will be no different. We add in a lot of really good new runners, young runners, and we also have some great veterans returning. Watching them all mix together early in the season will be a lot of fun.
"It's early, and we are training pretty darn hard right now, so while we aren't peaking, it will still be fun to watch the competitive juices flow. We will also sit a few people to make sure we are 100% ready to go later, but overall, it will be a fun indicator of where our group is at," said head coach Sean Smith.
Team Analysis
The CBU men enter the season with six straight conference titles after dominating their time in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC).
Junior Pedro Marin and sophomore Gabriel Guzman are two key returners from last season. Marin placed 21st at the NCAA West Regional with a time of 29:56.9 in the 10K, while Guzman finished third overall at the WAC Championships with a time of 23:52.1 in the 8K.
On the women's side, CBU has enjoyed similar success, winning the 2025 WAC Championship and finishing in the top two at the conference championship for more than a decade.
Sophomores Ava Dyck and Helena Mees are two standouts expected to lead the Lancers this season. Dyck and Mees both finished in the top 10 at the WAC Championships in the 6K, finishing just fractions of a second apart with times of 20:35.40 and 20:35.90, respectively.
The men's and women's teams welcome 18 newcomers combined. Junior transfer Keely Bradle and freshman Fatima Mena will be valuable additions to the women's team, while junior transfer Itumeleng Ngxabazi and sophomore transfer Yemane Mulugeta add veteran experience to the men's side.
Smith has helped continue an impressive run of individual and team championships at both the conference and NCAA levels and will look to continue that success as CBU begins its first season competing for Big West championships.
Players Mentioned
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/ Cross Country & Track
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/ Cross Country & Track
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