Cross Country Adds 10 Talented Runners Ahead of 2022 Season

The UC San Diego cross country team has added ten skilled runners to the roster ahead of the 2022 season, Head Coach Nate Garcia has announced.

“We are very excited about this incoming class of Tritons,” Garcia said. “They come from a variety of strong programs and will make us better right away. Beyond their athletic accomplishments, which are many, these new team members promise to be a great fit within our culture and will help continue our tradition of excellence as a program and department.”

Eight of the new Tritons are true freshmen, while two are transfers with a year of collegiate experience already under their belt. Nine of the ten are from California, with the lone out-of-stater hailing from Colorado. 

All ten newcomers — Allyson Abandonato, Lauren Delgado, Emma Dunmire, Thomas Fry, Mannat Gill, Evan Hild, Michael Julian, Ella Parsley, Jenna Satovsky, and Luke Stefanou — are also set to join the Tritons’ track and field roster in the spring of 2023.

UC San Diego begins its second cross country season in the Big West Conference this fall, looking to build on a solid 2021 season. The Tritons put the conference on notice at the UC Davis Stump Invite on September 10, with the women beating out all but one Big West team to take second in a field of eight and the men coming fourth out of seven, ahead of a pair of Big West rivals.

The Tritons’ 2022 season begins September 1, as they head into the mountains for a dual with UCLA in Mammoth Lakes. The full 2022 schedule is available here.
 

ALLYSON ABANDONATO
Corona, Calif.
Santiago HS
Freshman

Allyson is one of two freshmen from Corona, alongside fellow Santiago High grad Evan Hild. She joins the Tritons after a decorated high school career, earning All-Big VIII League First Team and All-Academic Team honors all four years, as her team took league titles in 2018, 2019, and 2021. A multi-sport athlete, Allyson also played soccer for the Sharks.

LAUREN DELGADO
Granada Hills, Calif.
Granada Hills HS | UC Santa Cruz
Sophomore

Lauren is one of two transfers in the incoming class, joining the Tritons from UC Santa Cruz. The Granada Hills native recorded her personal best time and placement at the 2021 Coast-2-Coast Conference Championships, finishing 19th overall (23:48.4) to help the Banana Slugs secure the C2C title. At UC Santa Cruz’s end of year awards ceremony, Lauren was named one of 35 Outstanding Scholar Athletes.

EMMA DUNMIRE
Mill Valley, Calif.
Tamalpais HS
Freshman

Emma is one of four new Tritons who played multiple sports in high school. She began her athletic career rowing crew and playing water polo before joining Tamalpais High School’s cross country and track teams as a sophomore. She was rookie of the year, and then earned team MVP honors the very next year as a junior. 

THOMAS FRY
Monument, Colo.
Palmer Ridge HS
Freshman

Thomas is the lone newcomer from outside of California, coming to La Jolla from Monument, Colorado. A standout both on the course and in the classroom, he was a Colorado 4A All-Conference First Team selection and two-time Academic All-Conference honoree. He qualified for the state championship meet twice, in 2019 and 2021.

MANNAT GILL
Milpitas, Calif.
Milpitas HS | De Anza Community College
Sophomore

Mannat is the other transfer in this class, joining UC San Diego after a year spent at De Anza Community College in Cupertino. Last fall, she earned First Team All-Coast Conference and All-American honors, as she helped the Mountain Lions place fifth at the California Community College Athletic Association Championships. She was also named an All-American in track and field this spring, winning the CCCAA 10K title.

EVAN HILD
Corona, Calif.
Santiago HS
Freshman

Evan is the second Triton newcomer from Corona, along with his Santiago High classmate Allyson Abaondonato. A two-time Riverside County Academic Team honoree, Evan helped the Sharks to the Big VIII League title in 2021. Like Allyson, Evan also played soccer at Santiago High.

MICHAEL JULIAN
Seaside, Calif.
York School
Freshman

Michael comes to La Jolla from Seaside, with a CIF Championship and Division 5 record on his resume. As a senior at the York School, he set the CIF Division 5 record in the 5K (15:15) and took home the 2021 Central Coast Section Championship. Michael also raced at the 2019 USATF Junior Olympics, where he earned All-American honors.

ELLA PARSLEY
Manhattan Beach, Calif.
Mira Costa HS
Freshman

Ella begins her collegiate cross country career at UC San Diego a year after winning a CIF State Championship with Mira Costa High School. The Mustangs took the CIF Southern Section title en route to the state crown, with Ella earning All-Southern Section honors. Outside of cross country, she also competed in triathlons in high school.

JENNA SATOVSKY
San Francisco, Calif.
Lowell HS
Freshman

Jenna is swapping the Bay Area for La Jolla Cove, as she joins the Tritons after a very successful high school career in her hometown of San Francisco. At Lowell High School, Jenna helped the Cardinals to CIF San Francisco Section titles in 2018, 2019, and 2021, qualifying for the CIF State Championship all three years. She was named Most Outstanding Performer at the 2019 San Francisco Section Championships and was voted her team’s MVP in her senior year.

LUKE STEFANOU
Palos Verdes Estates, Calif.
Palos Verdes HS
Freshman

Luke joins the Tritons’ squad with plenty of leadership experience already under his belt. A four-year team captain at Palos Verdes High School, he earned First Team All-State honors as well as being voted team MVP as a senior. A First Team All-Bay Leaguer all four years, he capped his high school career by winning the Bay League individual title last fall.