FULLERTON, Calif. – Cross country season has begun for the Cal State Fullerton Titans as head coach John Elders and his squad held their first practice on Monday. The team will have roughly three weeks of time to prepare for the first race of the season on Sept. 2 when the Titans host the Mark Covert Classic at Carbon Canyon Regional Park at 8:30 a.m. PT.
The Titans return eight student-athletes from the men's squad that took third place at the 2016 Big West Championships. That third-place finish was the team's best finish at the league championships since 1993. The women's team welcomes back six student-athletes from the 2016 squad that took fourth place at the league championships.
"I think our practice this morning went well," Elders said. "It's fun to think that this is the first practice of my 30th year as a head coach. We've got a really strong group on the men's and women's side, it was evident today in their first run together that we have some talent. I think there is a lot of optimism that we're going to have a great season, so it's good to get started."
Seniors Joe Casco and Jason Hillquist will look to lead the men's squad this year. Casco represented the Titans in six meets during the 2016 season. He opened the season with a ninth-place finish in the 8K at the Mark Covert Classic with a time of 25:49.9. Casco then clocked a time of 25:58.9 in the 8K at the Big West Championships that was good for 22nd place as the men's squad took third place overall. The Titans took 15th place at the NCAA West Regional with Casco taking 75th place in the 10K with a time of 31:16.3.
Hillquist, a transfer from College of the Canyons, had a strong first season with the Titans in 2016. He competed in six races on the year, starting with a runner-up finish in the 8K at the Mark Covert Classic with a time of 25:14.6 as the Titans squad took second place overall. He finished in 14th place overall and helped lead the Titans to a team victory at the USD Invite with a time of 26:10 in the 8K. His time of 25:34.3 was good for 12th place in the 8K at the Big West Championships
On the women's side, senior Pamela Pelayo and junior Brianna Jacklin are set to lead a talented group. Pelayo competed in five meets for the Titans last year and opened up with a 6K time of 23:17.9 at the West Region Preview. She took 41st place at the Highlander Invitational with a 5K time of 18:54.40 and posted a time of 18:38.78 in the Titan Invitational, good for 15th place in the 6,000-meter race. She finished in 40th place in the Big West Championships with a 6K time of 23:40.0. Pelayo ran the 6K race at the NCAA West Regional in 23:11.0.
Jacklin represented CSF in six races during the 2016 season. She opened up the season with a fourth-place finish in the Mark Covert Classic, clocking a 5K time of 18:18.9. She then posted a 6K time of 22:44 at the USD Invite, good for ninth place overall. Jacklin took sixth place in the Highlander Invitational with a 5K time of 17:42.42 and finished in 16th place at the Big West Championships with a 6K time of 22:35.3. At the NCAA West Regional, Jacklin posted a 6K time of 21:36.8 that was good for 99th place.
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