RIVERSIDE, Calif. — Utah State women's cross country won the UC Riverside Invitational with 67 points, with six Aggies finishing in the top 20, on Saturday at the UCR Agricultural Operations Course. The USU men, with four Aggies in the top 10, finished second behind Cal Baptist with 40 points. 
 
"We had a great day," said Artie Gulden, USU's director of track & field and cross country. "I'm super proud of both teams. The women ran together most of the race and won in dominating fashion. The men ran great too. Cal Baptist is a really good team and they got us today. The men should be very proud along with the women." 
 
Senior Emma Thornley led the Aggie women with a seventh-place finish at 20:12.5. Fellow senior Ana Weaver took ninth with a time of 20:14.1, followed by a trio of Aggies in sophomore Shelby Jensen (16th, 20:23.1), senior Mimi Miyazawa (17th, 20:25.4) and junior Sarah Ellis (18th, 20:26.9) to finish USU's scoring. 
 
For the USU men, graduate Spencer Nelson earned with a career-best third-place finish with a time of 23:35.1, followed by graduate Camren Todd in fourth at 23:38.6. Freshman Michael Moffat came in seventh place with a time of 23:41.3, and junior Logan Garnica finished 10th, clocking in at 23:47.1. Senior Brennan Benson took 16th with a time of 23:51.3 to round out the scoring. 
 
"Even though running well and winning is great, there are more important things than athletics," Gulden said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with one of our alums, Cierra Simmons, and her family. Her husband was critically injured in an accident last week. He's making great progress and we wish Scott, Cierra and their daughters all the best." 
 
Utah State returns to action on Saturday, Oct. 5, when the Aggies visit Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, for the prestigious Paul Short Run, hosted by Lehigh University. 
 
For more information on the Utah State cross country programs, follow the Aggies on Twitter at @USUTF_XC, on Facebook at USUTrack and on Instagram at USUTF_XC. 
  
UC Riverside Invitational 
UCR Agricultural Operations Course | Riverside, California | September 21, 2024 
  
Women's 6K Team Results 
1. UTAH STATE - 7, 9, 16, 17, 18, (20), (24) - 67 
2. Cal Poly - 4, 13, 25, 27, 56, (57), (58) - 123 
3. Cal Baptist - 5, 12, 34, 36, 44, (136), (156) - 128 
4. UC Irvine - 3, 30, 40, 54, 62, (71), (82)- 184 
5. Biola - 8, 23, 61, 68, 72, (112), (127) - 226 
  
Women's Top-Five Finishers: 1. Judy Chepkoech (ASU), 19:31.7; 2. Jessica Kampman (Azusa Pacific), 19:56.8; 3. Anna Vogtmann (UC Irvine), 19:58.2; 4. Tatiana Cornejo (Cal Poly), 20:01.5; 5. Ava Dyck (Cal Baptist), 20:09.2. 
  
Utah State Women's Results: 7. Emma Thornley, 20:12.5; 9. Ana Weaver, 20:14.1; 16. Shelby Jensen, 20:23.1; 17. Mimi Miyazawa, 20:25.4; 18. Sarah Ellis, 20:26.9; 20. Hannah Davidson, 20:28.5; 24. Caroline Moon, 20:34.1; 32. Brie Smith, 20:43.4.  
  
Men's 8K Team Results 
1. Cal Baptist - 1, 2, 5, 8, 9, (11), (23) - 25 
2. UTAH STATE - 3, 4, 7, 10, 16, (19), (21) - 40 
3. Cal Poly - 12, 15, 25, 28, 35, (57), (60) - 113  
4. Southern Utah - 20, 31, 34, 40, 41, (43), (81) - 154 
5. UC Riverside - 13, 22, 44, 46, 80, (87), (177) - 185 
  
Men's Top-Five Finishers: 1. Zouhair Redouane (Cal Baptist), 23:33.0; 2. Valentin Soca (Cal Baptist), 23:33.5; 3. Spencer Nelson (USU), 23:35.1; 4. Camren Todd (USU), 23:38.6; 5. Daniel Abdala (Cal Baptist), 23:38.7. 
  
Utah State Men's Results: 3. Spencer Nelson, 23:35.1; 4. Camren Todd, 23:38.6; 7. Michael Moffat, 23:41.3; 10. Logan Garnica, 23:47.1; 16. Brennan Benson, 23:51.3; 19. Bryce Hill, 23:53.5; 21. Jedidiah Megargel, 23:55.3; 39. Joshua Armstrong, 24:09.6. 
  
-USU-