Friday, August 30
Golden Gate Park, San Francisco CA
3:00 PM
Saint Mary's College of California
vs
USF Invite
Photo by: SMC Athletics / Emily Smith
WXC | Barnes and Jepsen Look to Pace Gaels at USF Invite For Second Consecutive Season
8/29/2024 1:00:00 PM | Women's Cross Country
MORAGA, Calif. - The Saint Mary's women's cross country team will open up their 2024 season this Friday at the USF Invite at Golden Gate Park.
The Gaels concluded the 2023 season taking third place overall at the West Coast Conference meet. Rayna Stanziano was Saint Mary's leader as she finished in seventh place with a time of 21:49.8. She was in 11th at the 2K split, but jumped four spots by the 4K mark, and held that position throughout the remainder of the race. Kaylee Barnes finished right on her tail taking eighth place. Molly Dreher, who was another key factor in the cross country team in that race and throughout the season, and finished in 13th with a time of 22:02.0. Throughout the race, she jumped 23 spots. Stanziano and Barnes were named All-WCC team members at the culmination of the race, while Dreher took home honorable mention All-WCC honors.
Before graduating, Dreher was named to the WCC All-Academic First Team, along with six of her other teammates who received honorable mention. The Gaels top two runners, Stanziano and Dreher, have now graduated from Saint Mary's College; however, Barnes will be returning this season as a Junior.
Klara Frih, Eleanor Jepsen, and Emily Field all also were consistently high finishers for the Gaels a season ago, and will look to continue to make an impact this season.
ABOUT THIS RACE
This is the 31st annual University of San Francisco Cross Country Invitational. A season ago, the Gaels took sixth place out of 13 teams to open the year at this same event.
Kaylee Barnes paced the Gaels at this event last season, jumping 18 spots throughout and crossing the finish line in 24th place. Eleanor Jepsen was the next Gael to finish, taking 35th after sitting in 66th at the first 2K split. Emily Field (41st) and Klara Frih (49th) both also finished in the top-50 a year ago.
The course at Golden Gate Park is a mostly flat 2000m loop composed of grass and dirt with a gradual descent from the start to the 600m mark and a gradual uphill elevation change from 1200m mark to the 1800m mark.
#GaelsRise
The Gaels concluded the 2023 season taking third place overall at the West Coast Conference meet. Rayna Stanziano was Saint Mary's leader as she finished in seventh place with a time of 21:49.8. She was in 11th at the 2K split, but jumped four spots by the 4K mark, and held that position throughout the remainder of the race. Kaylee Barnes finished right on her tail taking eighth place. Molly Dreher, who was another key factor in the cross country team in that race and throughout the season, and finished in 13th with a time of 22:02.0. Throughout the race, she jumped 23 spots. Stanziano and Barnes were named All-WCC team members at the culmination of the race, while Dreher took home honorable mention All-WCC honors.
Before graduating, Dreher was named to the WCC All-Academic First Team, along with six of her other teammates who received honorable mention. The Gaels top two runners, Stanziano and Dreher, have now graduated from Saint Mary's College; however, Barnes will be returning this season as a Junior.
Klara Frih, Eleanor Jepsen, and Emily Field all also were consistently high finishers for the Gaels a season ago, and will look to continue to make an impact this season.
ABOUT THIS RACE
This is the 31st annual University of San Francisco Cross Country Invitational. A season ago, the Gaels took sixth place out of 13 teams to open the year at this same event.
Kaylee Barnes paced the Gaels at this event last season, jumping 18 spots throughout and crossing the finish line in 24th place. Eleanor Jepsen was the next Gael to finish, taking 35th after sitting in 66th at the first 2K split. Emily Field (41st) and Klara Frih (49th) both also finished in the top-50 a year ago.
The course at Golden Gate Park is a mostly flat 2000m loop composed of grass and dirt with a gradual descent from the start to the 600m mark and a gradual uphill elevation change from 1200m mark to the 1800m mark.
#GaelsRise
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
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