

Photo by: SMC Athletics / Emily Smith
WXC | Gaels Stay Local As They Compete in the Santa Clara Invite
10/18/2024 10:00:00 AM | Women's Cross Country
MORAGA, Calif. - The Saint Mary's Women's Cross Country team will compete in their last regular season race of the year, the Santa Clara Bronco Invite. The event will be held in Baylands Park in Sunnyvale with the invitational race beginning at 9:30 AM and the open race starting at 11:00 AM.
GAELS RECAP
The Gaels continued to roll as they won their second consecutive meet last time out at the Charles Bowles Invitational earlier this month. The week prior, SMC won the Pacific Invite. This marked the first time in nearly a decade that the Gaels won two events in the same season.
Kaylee Barnes paced the Gaels again, with a blazing fast 17:13.3 5K, good for fourth. This was Barnes first time running a 5K since her prep career, and she bested her previous PR by nearly 90 seconds. Barnes was the lone Gael to finish in the top-10, however three more Gaels finished in the top-20, led by Eleanor Jepsen, who finished in 11th. This was also Jepsen's first collegiate 5K, finishing sub-18 minutes at 17:41.5. Luna Mole was the third and final Gael to break the 18 minute mark, finishing 15th at 17:57.8.
Emily Field just missed a sub 18 5K, finishing one spot behind Mole with a time of 18:00.7. Klara Frih, Andrea Villegas and Jane Harig finished in spots 23, 24 and 25 respectively, all sub 18:30. The Gaels finished atop the race standings in front of Southern Idaho, the third ranked team in the NJCAA, finishing in second, and Hawaii, finishing in third.
ABOUT THE RACE
The Gaels are no strangers to the Santa Clara Bronco Invitational, having run in it every year since 2021. Kaylee Barnes was the top finisher for the Gaels amongst returners at the invitational, while Emily Field was the top finisher amongst Gael returners last year in the open. As a team, SMC placed ninth out of 21 competing schools last season. Live results can be found here.
LINE UP
Invitational:
Open:
#GaelsRise
GAELS RECAP
The Gaels continued to roll as they won their second consecutive meet last time out at the Charles Bowles Invitational earlier this month. The week prior, SMC won the Pacific Invite. This marked the first time in nearly a decade that the Gaels won two events in the same season.
Kaylee Barnes paced the Gaels again, with a blazing fast 17:13.3 5K, good for fourth. This was Barnes first time running a 5K since her prep career, and she bested her previous PR by nearly 90 seconds. Barnes was the lone Gael to finish in the top-10, however three more Gaels finished in the top-20, led by Eleanor Jepsen, who finished in 11th. This was also Jepsen's first collegiate 5K, finishing sub-18 minutes at 17:41.5. Luna Mole was the third and final Gael to break the 18 minute mark, finishing 15th at 17:57.8.
Emily Field just missed a sub 18 5K, finishing one spot behind Mole with a time of 18:00.7. Klara Frih, Andrea Villegas and Jane Harig finished in spots 23, 24 and 25 respectively, all sub 18:30. The Gaels finished atop the race standings in front of Southern Idaho, the third ranked team in the NJCAA, finishing in second, and Hawaii, finishing in third.
ABOUT THE RACE
The Gaels are no strangers to the Santa Clara Bronco Invitational, having run in it every year since 2021. Kaylee Barnes was the top finisher for the Gaels amongst returners at the invitational, while Emily Field was the top finisher amongst Gael returners last year in the open. As a team, SMC placed ninth out of 21 competing schools last season. Live results can be found here.
LINE UP
Invitational:
- Kaylee Barnes
- Emily Field
- Klara Frih
- Eleanor Jepsen
- Michaela Martin
- Luna Mole
- Anna Ranieri
- Elle Shrader
- Andrea Villegas
Open:
- Lauren Buckley
- Jane Harig
- Jane Carney
- Ava Luczkow
- Alexis Ortiz
- Briney Perera
#GaelsRise
Players Mentioned
MSOC | Game Highlights vs. Santa Clara
Thursday, October 16
VB | Tyler Hildebrand Presser, 10-13-25
Monday, October 13
VB | Highlights vs. Santa Clara, 10-11-25
Saturday, October 11
VB | Tyler Hildebrand Presser Post Santa Clara, 10-11-25
Saturday, October 11