Women's 6k (11:00 a.m.)/Men's 10k Course Map (12:00 p.m.)    

FULLERTON, Calif. – The Cal State Fullerton men's and women's cross-country teams will be competing at the Big West Championships this Friday in Stanford, Calif. The championships will be held at the Stanford Golf Course, and will begin at 11:00 a.m. (PT) for the women's 6k (3.73 miles), followed by the men's 10k (6.2 miles) starting at 12:00 p.m. (PT)

THE COURSE: Located in the foothills above the Stanford University campus, the Stanford University Golf Course is consistently rated one of the finest golf courses in the world while being steeped in tradition. Throughout the years, Stanford has hosted many intercollegiate and non-collegiate events, including the Stanford Invitational, Peg Barnard Intercollegiate, Pac-10 Championships, NCAA Western Regional, Women's NCAA Championships, USGA Junior Amateur Qualifying, U.S. Open Qualifying and The Gathering at the Farm, a former Senior PGA Tour event. From a cross-country perspective, the course simply winds around several bunkers while looping around lush trees and fairways.

THE FIELD: Competing alongside the Titans will be Arizona, Arizona State, Boise State, Cal Poly, CSUN, California, Eastern Washington, Fresno State, Gonzaga, Hawai'i, Idaho, Long Beach State, Loyola Marymount, Oregon, Oregon State, Pacific, Pepperdine, Portland, Portland State, Sacramento State, San Diego, San Diego State, San Francisco, San Jose State, Santa Clara, Seattle, St. Mary's (CA), host Stanford, UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, UC Santa Barbara, UCLA, UNLV, USC, Washington and Washington State.

THE RANKINGS: The field includes six women's teams that are currently ranked among the top-25 in Div. I. That group includes No. 3 ranked Oregon, followed by No. 10 Stanford, No. 15 Washington, No. 24 Arizona State, No. 25 Boise State and No. 27 UCLA. Oregon is also the highest ranked men's team, entering with a No. 2 national ranking, followed by No. 8 Portland, No. 9 Stanford, No. 11 Washington and No. 17 UCLA. 

CHAMPIONSHIP INFO: NCAA West Regional Championship information can be found at: http://www.gostanford.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=30600&ATCLID=209673311 A full USTFCCCA Regional Central can be found at: USTFCCCA.org

RESULTS: Live splits and results will be available at http://www.rtspt.com/events/ncaa/d1westxc14/. Complete results will also be posted on Fullertontitans.com following the conclusion of the meet.

TITANS' LINEUP FOR FRIDAY: (with last year's NCAA West Regional finish, if applicable)

TITAN HISTORY AT NCAA WEST REGIONALS: Cal State Fullerton's best men's team finish at the West Regionals was ninth place with a total of 210 points in 1993. In 1992, the women placed seventh with a score of 161. Mike Tansley has the best men Titan finish at the NCAA West Regionals, finishing seventh in 1993 with a time of 30:19.8. Heather Killen has the best women's individual finish, with a time of 17:28.0 in 1991.

LAST YEAR AT THE NCAA WEST REGIONALS: The Titans completed the 2013 men's and women's cross-country seasons with 24th and 29th place finishes, respectively, at the NCAA West Regionals at the Haggin Oaks Golf Course in Sacramento, Calif., on Nov. 15.

The Titan contingent was led by Jayson Perez on the men's squad, completing the 10k course in 31:58, good for 101st overall. On the women's side, the Titans were led by sophomore Emily Taylor as she finished the 6k race in a time of 21:45, which was good for 131^st.

Stanford captured the NCAA West Regionals men's title with 53 points followed by Oregon (64), Portland (92), Boise State (117) and Arizona State (184). The lady Titans finished in 29th place with a total of 778 points. Arizona (84) captured the women's NCAA West Regional title followed by Stanford (94), Oregon (120), San Francisco (140) and Washington (162).

2013 NCAA West Regionals (Top-10 Team Finishers)
Women
1. Arizona (84)
2. Stanford (94)
3. Oregon (120)
4. San Francisco (140)
5. Washington (162)
6. Arizona State (175)
7. UC Davis (221)
8. Cal Poly (259)
9. Portland (284)
10. Boise State (300)

Men
1. Stanford (53)
2. Oregon (64)
3. Portland (92)
4. Boise State (117)
5. Arizona State (184)
6. UCLA (187)
7. Cal Poly (191)
8. Washington State (269)
9. Washington (277)
10. UC Santa Barbara (287)

QUALIFYING FOR THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS: The top two teams in each of the nine NCAA regions will earn automatic bids to the NCAA National Championships, Saturday, Nov. 23. Once the top-18 teams earn their automatic bids, 13 additional teams are selected by the NCAA to join the races in Terre Haute, Ind. 

Individually 38 men and 38 women (top four per region) who are not on an advancing team earn automatic bids, only if they earn a top-25 regional finish. The top-25 runners in each race receive All-Region recognition. Once all automatic bids are set, two individuals from across each region are selected as at-large competitors for both the men's and women's races.

LAST TIME OUT AT THE BIG WEST CHAMPIONSHIPS: Both the Cal State Fullerton men's and women's cross country teams used its second appearance of the season on the Ag/Ops Course to record a solid effort at the Big West Championships, as the race was held in Riverside, Calif. The championships were hosted in Riverside for the sixth time in the last eight seasons, and it suited the Titans well as both the men and women concluded the championship in fifth-place, respectively, paced by senior Tejera Dial, while sophomore Jose Penaloza led the men's contingent.

For the women, Fullerton's fifth-place score (149 points), was just two points shy of last season's 147 points that marked the best finish for the program since tying for fourth in 2008. That makes it back-to-back seasons that the lady Titans have concluded the conference meet in fifth.

Dial was the top Titan to finish the 6K course as her time of 21:41.3 was good for 18th. She was followed by junior Emily Taylor, who crossed the finish line in 25th place with a time of 21:51.0. The top seven women finishers scored which also included junior Ana Valdovinos (30st; 21:58.0), senior Tijerra Lynch (38th; 22:29.5), sophomore Arianna Fuentes (46th; 22:56.8), sophomore Pamela Pelayo (48th; 23:00.6), junior transfer Kim Melechinsky (50th; 23:08.3). Katie Bathgate completed the race in a time of 23:20.4, placing 53rd in the championships, followed by senior Celinda Mando, who finished in 57th with a time of 23:26.9.

For the men, the Titans' fifth-place finish matched the best for the program since 2006 when Fullerton recorded a fifth-place score in San Luis Obispo, Calif. Penaloza led the Titan squad, completing the 8K course in a time of 24:43.5. His 14th place tally was the best Titan finish at a conference meet since 2006 when Jordan Horn (26:29.0) posted a 10th place mark. Freshman Samuel Garcia and sophomore Daniel Ramirez were the next Titans to score as Garcia finished in 20th (24:48.0) and Ramirez 29th (25:11.8).

Junior Jeff Little was the next Titan to cross the finish line in a time of 25:24.2, good for 37th. Sophomore David Ramirez completed the race in a time of 25:24.2, finishing in 38th, followed by sophomore Dalton Hall, who crossed the finish line in 47th (25:45.8). The final Titan to score for Fullerton was senior Brandon Cook, who completed the race in a time of 25:50.7 (50th). Senior Anthony Castellon rounded out the Titans in 56th with a time of 26:16.4.

 Top 3 Men's Finishers at Big West Championships (8k)

Top 3 Women's Finishers at Big West Championships (6k)

MAKING HISTORY: Cal State Fullerton's Sam Garcia became the first Titan in program history to garner the cross country Men's Freshman of the Year honor, it was announced by the league office earlier this month.

Garcia posted an impressive outing at the Big West Championships in Riverside, Calif., as the only rookie to crack the top-20 individual standings, tallying a 20th place finish with an 8k time of 24:48.0 at the Ag/Ops Course.

The El Monte, Calif., native has progressively improved his 8K time over the season, shaving over two minutes from his first race at the Mustang Challenge (26:49.2) to the conference meet (24:48.0). Garcia also holds the second fastest time for a Titan at the only 6k event of the season, carding an 11th place overall finish at the Highlander Invitational in 18:20.3. Garcia crossed the line second among CSF runners in both the Highlander Invitational and Big West Championships.

HONORING THE 1971 CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE: Mirin Fader of the Orange County Register recently interviewed several members of Cal State Fullerton's 1971 cross country championship squad along with head cross country and track and field coach John Elders. Fader examined first hand perspectives on the preparation, training, and some of the obstacles Fullerton faced en route to its championship performance 43 years ago. Read the story from the OC Register here.

BRING THE BROOMS OUT: 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 NCAA West Regionals, the Titan men and women have produced 48 top-30 overall finishes.

Fullerton Men's and Women's Overall Top-30 Finishes (2014) 

TAYLOR AT THE TOP: In four out of the five 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 competition at the Fullerton-hosted Mark Covert Classic on Aug. 30. Cook currently holds a season-low mark of 25:50.7 that was tallied at the Big West Championships back on Nov.1.

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 five 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 Big West Championships (Nov. 1), crossing the line at the 8k course in 24:43.5, good for 14th place overall and first among CSF runners.

UNDER THE RADAR: Women's team captain Ana Valdovinos has been the model of consistency, producing a top-three Fullerton finish in all five 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 only occasion this season, sophomores Danny and David Ramirez finished 1-2 among Fullerton participants 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.

#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.