SAN DIEGO — Triton Cross Country's opening race ended with race winners on both sides, with Elle Marsyla claiming the women's 5k and Oliver Clippinger-Zimmerman taking the men's 7k. The men's team pulled away with 15 points to capture the race; the women finished with 35 points, seven behind top finisher San Diego State.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED – MEN'S RACE
Twelve Tritons ran in today's race, three of them making their UC San Diego debut. Clippinger-Zimmermann took the top spot, followed by Tate Meaux, Joseph Vargas, Ryan Stanley, and Ben Borchers in the top five. Bradford Stegge and Marco Franco rounded out the Tritons' point scorers.

Jeffrey Keeney, Ryan Chen, Shane Badcock, Wyatt Boling, and Evan Gardner also raced for the Tritons. 

HOW IT HAPPENED – WOMEN'S RACE
Marsyla set the pace for the Tritons, and the race, taking the win 10 seconds ahead of her nearest competitor. Sabrina Zanetto followed closely with Michelle Huerta, and Stefania Sesock all finishing in the top ten. Shea Elmore, Delaney Napierala, and Meilani Castillo rounded out the Tritons point scorers.
 
Also racing for the Tritons was Annie Burton, Camille Lindsay, Saidbh Byrne, Kimberly Willard, and Kaitlyn Carmichael.
 
TRITON TIDBITS

• Six made their UC San Diego debut at today's meet: Ben Borchers, Marco Franco, Wyatt Boling, Ryan Chen, Elle Marsyla, and Delaney Napierala.
• Both the Triton men and women's teams improved their performance from last year's Aztec Coastal Classic, the men by 35 points.

 
QUOTABLE
"Really strong opener from both teams today," head coach Nate Garcia '00 said. " We are happy to come away with individual wins in both races with Oliver and Elle controlling the race throughout. On the team side the men handled themselves really well. Always excited to leave a meet with a 15-point score."
 
Garcia continues, "The women got into a great battle with San Diego State. The Aztecs got out early and our women closed on them through the midway point. We fell just short of finishing the comeback, but we saw some great toughness from our women that will serve them well in coming races."
 
UP NEXT
The Tritons will visit Moraga, Calif. to compete in the Saint Mary's Invitational Friday, Sept. 18. The meet is set to start at 8:45 a.m.
 
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.