LOS ANGELES – Cal State L.A.’s women’s cross country team has been ranked eighth in the NCAA Division II West Region in a preseason poll by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.
The Golden Eagles, who had top-five national finishes in 2006 and 2007 and a 13th-place finish in 2008, will be competing in one of the strongest regions in the nation. The West Region had four of the top-10 teams in the country at the national championships in 2009.
Alaska Anchorage, which finished fifth in the nation last season and first in the West Region, is the top-ranked team in the West. Chico State, which finished sixth nationally last season, is second, Western Washington, which finished eighth in the nation, is ranked third and Seattle Pacific, which finished fourth in the nation, is rated fourth.
Northwest Nazarene, Cal Poly Pomona, UC San Diego, Cal State L.A., Western Oregon and BYU Hawaii round out the top 10.
Cal State L.A. won the West Region championship in 2006 and captured the California Collegiate Athletic Association title and took second in the region in 2007. The Golden Eagles finished fourth in the nation in 2006, fifth in 2007 and 13th in 2008.
Cal State L.A. has eight runners on its 2010 squad, including five who have been with the Golden Eagles in the past. Senior
Justina Sadauskaite and sophomore
Melissa Lopez return for their second seasons with the program after strong performances last season. Junior
Angie Cruz and sophomores
Valerie Sanchez and
Mariah Murray are back after not competing last year.
Cal State L.A. will open its season on Saturday, Sept. 4 at Cal State Fullerton’s Season Opener in Brea.