Men's 8k (8:30 a.m.)/Women's 6k Course Map (9:15 a.m.) 
FULLERTON, Calif. – The Cal State Fullerton men's and women's cross-country teams will be competing at the Big West Championships this Saturday in Riverside, Calif. The championships will be held at Ag/Ops Course, and will begin at 8:30 a.m. for the men's 8k, followed by the women's 6k starting at 9:15 a.m.
THE COURSE: The Ag/Ops course is deceptive, appearing flat, fast and easy at first, but with a large difference in elevation from one end of the course to the other. The west end, at about the 1.5 mile mark, is 100 feet lower than the start/finish area, and runners tend to go out fast only to find the return home challenging. The course is 85% flat with a few rolling hills, hard packed dirt with pre-competition watering to reduce dust. The path runs through the shade of 100-year-old orange groves and eucalyptus trees.
THE FIELD: Competing alongside the Titans will be the eight other Big West foes in Cal Poly, Cal State Northridge, Long Beach State, UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, UC Santa Barbara, and Hawai'i.
RESULTS: Results will be available on Flashwest.com. Complete results will also be posted on Fullertontitans.com following the conclusion of the meet. Nine participants per team with the first five finishers will count toward scoring for the championships.
TITANS' LINEUP FOR SATURDAY: (with last year's Big West finish, if applicable)
|
Women |
Overall Finish |
Points |
Time |
|
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
31ST |
29 |
23:58.1 |
|
|
45TH |
41 |
24:27.3 |
|
|
32ND |
30 |
23:58.8 |
|
|
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
27TH |
26 |
23.40.9 |
|
|
48TH |
44 |
24:33.1 |
|
Men |
Overall Finish |
Points |
Time |
|
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
35TH |
31 |
27:25.9 |
|
|
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
23RD |
23 |
26:43.4 |
|
|
54TH |
-- |
28:43.7 |
|
|
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
LAST YEAR AT THE BIG WEST CHAMPIONSHIPS: Both the Cal State Fullerton men's and women's cross country teams recorded its best finishes in several years at the 2013 Big West Championships at Fairbanks Memorial Cross Country Course in San Luis Obispo, Calif. The women finished in fifth-place, marking the best finish for the program since tying for fourth in 2008. The men garnered sixth-place, setting a program best since 2006 when Fullerton recorded a fifth-place score.
The Titan contingent was led by Sara Taylor on the women's squad, completing the 6k course in 23:23.9, good for 22nd overall. Jose Penaloza pioneered the Titan men in the 8k invite, recording 23rd place finish in 26:43.4.
2013 Big West Championships
Women
1. Cal Poly (37)
2. UC Davis (44)
3. UC Santa Barbara (62)
4. Long Beach State (125)
5. Cal State Fullerton (147)
6. UC Riverside (158)
7. UC Irvine (180)
8. Cal State Northridge (244)
9. Hawai'i (278)
Men
1. Cal Poly (32)
2. UC Santa Barbara (49)
3. UC Davis (54)
4. Long Beach State (118)
5. UC Irvine (127)
6. Cal State Fullerton (164)
7. UC Riverside (177)
8. Cal State Northridge (253)
ABOUT THE BIG WEST CHAMPIONSHIPS: Fullerton will make its second appearance of the season on the Ag/Ops Course after previously participating in the Highlander Invitational on Oct. 18. It will be the sixth time in the last eight seasons that UC Riverside has hosted the league meet. The course in the Inland Empire also has a rich history. Developed for the 1979 NCAA Division II National Championships, the course has since hosted the annual premier UC Riverside Invitational as well as numerous conference and regional championships. The site hosted the Big West Championships in 2002, 2004-05, 2008-12, and will return again this season in 2014. Last season in San Luis Obispo, Cal Poly swept the men's and women's championship.
TITAN HISTORY AT THE BIG WEST CHAMPIONSHIP: In 1992 and 1993, Mike Tansley led the Titans to two Individual Big West Championships. In 1993, the CSF men's cross country team finished second in the team competition. On the women's side, the program's best finish has been third, twice, coming in 1992 and 1993. Beginning in 2003, the women's championship was moved to compete on 6K courses. In 2012, Katie Bathgate finished with the fourth best individual mark for Fullerton at the Big West Championship. She finished with a final time of 21:13.30.
LAST TIME OUT AT THE TITAN INVITATIONAL: Cal State Fullerton's Chris Martinez and Lauren Carr paced the men's and women's cross country teams at the Titan Invitational on Oct. 24. The Cal Poly Pomona men and UCLA women clinched the team titles, respectively, at the campus of Cal State Fullerton. Neither the Titan men or women met the five-participant minimum in the collegiate competition, thus both teams were left off the team standings.
Martinez finished 48th overall at 26:28.4, and was followed by CSF junior Donald Bernard in 52nd with a time of 26:40.2 on the 8k course. Freshman Tanner Love rounded out the top-three CSF scorers at 28:31.1, good for 89th place overall.
Carr finished in 37th place overall in 19.35.1 to lead the women's contingent on the 5k course. Sophomore Amanda Crissinger was the next Titan runner in 50th with a time of 20:13.0. Anaheim, Calif., native Michelle Botello rounded out the top-three Fullerton participants concluding the invite in 54th, while carding a time of 20:28.7.
Top 3 Men Finishers at Titan Invitational (8k)
|
Name |
Time |
Overall Finish |
|
26:28.4 |
48th |
|
|
26:40.2 |
52nd |
|
|
28:31.1 |
89th |
Top 3 Women Finishers at Titan Invitational (5k)
|
Name |
Time |
Overall Finish |
|
19:35.1 |
37th |
|
|
20:13.0 |
50th |
|
|
20:28.7 |
54th |
SWEPT AWAY: Following competition at the historic Rim Rock Farm Classic (Oct. 4) in Lawrence, Kan., Cal State Fullerton's Emily Taylor and Danny Ramirez swept the Big West Cross Country Athlete of the Week honors for the second time this season. The Fullerton duo previously swept the conference honors back on Sept. 23 following competition at the Mustang Challenge on Sept. 20.
WHERE WE STACK UP: Heading into the Big West Championships, the Titan men and women have produced 42 top-30 overall finishes.
Fullerton Men's and Women's Overall Top-30 Finishes (2014)
|
Event |
Men |
Women |
|
Mark Covert Classic (Aug. 30) |
8 |
3 |
|
Mustang Challenge (Sept. 20) |
5 |
4 |
|
CSUSB Coyote Classic (Sept. 27) |
4 |
0 |
|
Rim Rock Farm Classic (Oct. 4) |
4 |
2 |
|
Highlander Invitational (Oct. 18) |
7 |
5 |
|
Titan Invitational (Oct. 24) |
0 |
0 |
TAYLOR AT THE TOP: In all four events she's participated in, Emily Taylor has crossed the line as the top Fullerton runner on the women's side. Taylor most recently shattered her previous 5k time after boasting a season-best time of 17:47.3 at the Highlander Invitational (Oct. 18). The junior from Huntington Beach, Calif., is the only lady Titan to post four overall top-15 finishes.
COOKING ON LOW: In his senior campaign as a Titan, Brandon Cook has improved on his 8k time in every meet following the opening season meet at the Fullerton-hosted Mark Covert Classic on Aug. 30. Cook currently holds a season-low mark of 26:37.3 that was tallied at the CSUSB Coyote Classic back on Sept. 27.
SENIORS LAYING THE FOUNDATION: Individually, Cal State Fullerton seniors Katie Bathgate, Tejera Dial, Tijerra Lynch and Celinda Manzo have all accomplished a common goal. The upperclassmen have posted improved 5k times in every meet since opening the season and have combined for five overall top-30 finishes in the 2014 campaign. Among the quartet, Dial has posted both the fastest 5k mark (18.28), while the Bakersfield, Calif., native has also shown the most improved time, shaving off 1:40 from her first tally (20.08) at the Mark Covert Classic (Aug. 30).
ANYONE HAVE A PEN?: Fullerton sophomore Jose Penaloza has steadily inked a CSF top-three finish in all four events he's participated in, all of which were also in the overall top-20. The Garden Grove, Calif., native posted his best finish of the season at the Mustang Challenge (Sept. 20), crossing the line in 26:02 at the 8k course, good for third place overall and second among CSF runners.
UNDER THE RADAR: Women's team captain Ana Valdovinos has steadily produced a top-three Fullerton finish in all four events she's entered. The junior from Coachella, Calif., is one of only two female runners to post four overall top-25 finishes.
THE RAMIREZ CONNECTION: For the first time this year, Fullerton sophomores Danny and David Ramirez finished 1-2 at the Rim Rock Classic on Oct. 4. The brothers and natives of Buena Park, Calif., have recorded a combined six overall top-20 finishes this season.
MAKING THEIR DEBUT: Five Titan student-athletes made their respective debuts at the Mark Covert Classic on Aug. 30. A pair of redshirt freshman in Tanner Love (15th place; 26:45.3) and Robert Miyoshi (33rd place; 27:20.6) took to the men's 8k course. On the women's side, San Diego Mesa College junior transfer Kim Melechinsky (49th place; 20:09.9), freshman Brianna Shoffner (67th place; 20:38.7) and redshirt freshman Lauren Carr (78th place; 21:14.4) also wore the orange and navy for the first time at a cross country event. Redshirt freshman Samuel Garcia (34th place; 26:49.3) made his debut this past weekend at the Mustang Challenge on Sept. 20.
LONGEST-TENURED COACH: As the 2014 season winds down, cross country and track and field head coach John Elders logs his 27th season at the helm of each program making him the longest tenured head coach in the history of Cal State Fullerton.
The Orange County native was tied with former fencing head coach Heizaburo Okawa (1982-2006) and former men's soccer coach Al Mistri (1981-2005) for 25 years of service at Fullerton.
ON THE HORIZON: Following the Big West cross country championships, Cal State Fullerton will next compete at the NCAA West Regional Championships to be held in Stanford, Calif., and hosted by Stanford on Friday, Nov. 14, at the Stanford Golf Course.
AT THE BREAK WITH HEAD COACH JOHN ELDERS: Fullertontitans.com caught up with Titans cross country Head Coach John Elders to look back on the first half of the season and aspirations for the rest of the season including the Big West Championship on Saturday morning.
#ALSIceBucketChallenge: Head men's and women's cross country and track and field coach John Elders accompanied a host of Cal State Fullerton student-athletes at Titan Stadium to take part in the ALS ice bucket challenge to raise awareness of the neurodegenerative disease.