RIVERSIDE, Calif. — UC San Diego's Elle Marsyla placed fourth in the Big West Championships race this morning in Riverside, earning an All-Big West honor in the process. The race took place at UC Riverside's AG/OPS course. In the men's 8k, the Tritons placed fourth, earning 151 points. The women placed seventh in the 6k. California Baptist took the trophy in the men's race and Utah Valley claimed the women's title.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED – WOMEN'S RACE
Marsyla ran a lifetime best 6k to earn a top five spot in the women's event. She paced the Triton point-scorers, who all finished in the top 70. Michelle Huerta placed 46th, Anna Desormeau and Shea Elmore followed closely in 50th and 51st, respectively. Norah Dulaney finished 65th, Stefani Sesock 68th, and Dasha LeFaivre 70th to complete UC San Diego's point-scorers.
  
Also racing for the Tritons were Camille Lindsay, Avery Carlson, and Meilani Castillo.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED – MEN'S RACE
In the men's 8k, Ryan Stanely was the top finisher for the Tritons, placing 21st, running a 24:05.6. In 23rd, Joseph Vargas finished next. Marco Franco and Shane Badcock took 32nd and 37th. Oliver Clippinger-Zimmermann, Jeffrey Keeney, and Ben Borchers rounded out the Tritons point-scorers, finishing within 14 seconds of each other in 44th, 47th, and 56th, respectively.
 
Also racing for the Tritons were Tate Meaux, Bradford Stegge, and Nathaniel Griffin-Yeh.
 
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"Really proud of how the team competed today. On the women's side Elle ran a great race and posted one of the fastest times ever on the UCR AG/OPS course. Michelle posted another big course PR and put together a great battle. Additionally, Anna ran really well in her first collegiate conference championship meet," Head Coach Nate Garcia states about the race.
 
"The men put together a great race posting their highest Big West finish despite the addition of a pair of competing teams who have been nationally ranked this season. Ryan led the way for us, showing great strength through the second lap. Joseph closed very well to finish only a couple seconds behind Ryan and improving 19 places from last year at this meet. Marco had a breakout race. Connecting well with teammates early in the race he showed great bravery charging past 38 racers from the first split at 2k to the finish line."

UP NEXT
The Tritons will race in the NCAA West Regionals in Sacramento, Calif. on Friday, Nov. 13. The race will be held at Arcade Creek Cross-Country Course.
 
About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program has begun a new era as a member of The Big West in NCAA Division I. The 24-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 83 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 39 have garnered prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 90 percent, the highest rate among public institutions in NCAA Division I or II. For more information on the Tritons, visit UCSDtritons.com or follow UC San Diego Athletics on social media @UCSDtritons.