XC | Stanziano Named to WCC XC Preseason Team
8/30/2023 2:00:00 PM | Cross Country, Women's Cross Country, Men's Cross Country
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – The new Cross-Country season is right around the corner, and the WCC has announced their Preseason team ahead of the new season.
Senior Rayna Stanziano once again finds herself included on the poll, after making the team the second year in a row.
Stanziano is coming off another record-breaking season for the Gaels in both cross country and track. Stanziano was a force to be reckoned throughout all 2022, besting her own 6K school record two separate times. The first came at the WCC Championships in October, where Stanziano finished 8th in a time of 20:23.0. She then one upped herself once more, smashing her personal best at the NCAA West Region Championships where she finished 16th in a time of 19:43.6.
Her stellar run is the highest finish ever by a Gael at NCAA West Regionals, and nine spots higher than she finished last season. With her finish, she earned her second consecutive NCAA All-West Region Honors.
In the coaches' poll, the WCC has the Saint Mary's Women's Cross Country Team finishing 5th overall. The conference has Portland topping the rankings, with USF and Gonzaga coming in at second and third.
On the men's side, the conference has Saint Mary's finishing 6th overall. Portland also holds the top the spot on the men's side, with Gonzaga second and Santa Clara third.
The full WCC rankings and preseason teams can be found below:
2023 WCC Men's Cross Country Preseason Coaches Poll
Portland (5) 47
Gonzaga (3) 45
Santa Clara 37
LMU 31
San Francisco 22
Saint Mary's 21
Pepperdine 14
San Diego 7
2023 WCC Men's Cross Country Preseason Team
Ed Buck – USF
Jonas Gersten – POR
Riley Moore - GON
Bradley Peliquin – POR
Kyle Radosevich - GON
Nicholas Russell - SCU
Wil Smith – GON
Matt Strangio – POR
Adam Trafecanty - LMU
Ian Twyman - SCU
2023 WCC Women's Cross Country Preseason Coaches Poll
Team (first-place votes) points
Portland (4) 60
San Francisco (3) 58
Gonzaga (2) 53
Santa Clara 42
Saint Mary's 36
San Diego 24
LMU 22
Pepperdine 18
Pacific 11
2023 WCC Women's Cross Country Preseason Team
Alicia Anderson - GON
Grace Copeland – USF
Kinsey Hall - SCU
Courtney Klatt - POR
Rosina Machu – GON
Mie Nielsen - POR
Laura Pellicoro – POR
Samantha Prusse - POR
Rayna Stanziano – SMC
Sadie Tuckwood – GON
Saint Mary's will get their season underway on Friday, September 1 as the head to San Francisco for the annual USF Invite in Golden Gate Park.
Senior Rayna Stanziano once again finds herself included on the poll, after making the team the second year in a row.
Stanziano is coming off another record-breaking season for the Gaels in both cross country and track. Stanziano was a force to be reckoned throughout all 2022, besting her own 6K school record two separate times. The first came at the WCC Championships in October, where Stanziano finished 8th in a time of 20:23.0. She then one upped herself once more, smashing her personal best at the NCAA West Region Championships where she finished 16th in a time of 19:43.6.
Her stellar run is the highest finish ever by a Gael at NCAA West Regionals, and nine spots higher than she finished last season. With her finish, she earned her second consecutive NCAA All-West Region Honors.
In the coaches' poll, the WCC has the Saint Mary's Women's Cross Country Team finishing 5th overall. The conference has Portland topping the rankings, with USF and Gonzaga coming in at second and third.
On the men's side, the conference has Saint Mary's finishing 6th overall. Portland also holds the top the spot on the men's side, with Gonzaga second and Santa Clara third.
The full WCC rankings and preseason teams can be found below:
2023 WCC Men's Cross Country Preseason Coaches Poll
Portland (5) 47
Gonzaga (3) 45
Santa Clara 37
LMU 31
San Francisco 22
Saint Mary's 21
Pepperdine 14
San Diego 7
2023 WCC Men's Cross Country Preseason Team
Ed Buck – USF
Jonas Gersten – POR
Riley Moore - GON
Bradley Peliquin – POR
Kyle Radosevich - GON
Nicholas Russell - SCU
Wil Smith – GON
Matt Strangio – POR
Adam Trafecanty - LMU
Ian Twyman - SCU
2023 WCC Women's Cross Country Preseason Coaches Poll
Team (first-place votes) points
Portland (4) 60
San Francisco (3) 58
Gonzaga (2) 53
Santa Clara 42
Saint Mary's 36
San Diego 24
LMU 22
Pepperdine 18
Pacific 11
2023 WCC Women's Cross Country Preseason Team
Alicia Anderson - GON
Grace Copeland – USF
Kinsey Hall - SCU
Courtney Klatt - POR
Rosina Machu – GON
Mie Nielsen - POR
Laura Pellicoro – POR
Samantha Prusse - POR
Rayna Stanziano – SMC
Sadie Tuckwood – GON
Saint Mary's will get their season underway on Friday, September 1 as the head to San Francisco for the annual USF Invite in Golden Gate Park.
#GaelsRise
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Cross Country
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