The San Diego Mesa men's and women's cross country team return to competition after a successful showing at the Sonoma State Cross Country Invite. The team will participate in the Michael Johnson Classic in Monmouth, Oregon and the SD City Coach Downey Classic which will be held at Morley Field in San Diego, CA. 

Players traveling to Oregon were selected based on time trials held at the beginning of the season and results from the Seawolf Invitational. The women's team will be represented by Mohussin Abakar, Presley Bennett, Kyana Cook, Sidney Garcia, Madison Decker, Emma Fitzgerald, and Sophie Moser-Smith. The men's contingent consists of Juan Rosales, David Milan, Jesus Villarreal, Alan Jimenez, Zac Beckwith, Bryce Kueker, and Devin Provence.

The team will run  the Ash Creek Preserve in Monmouth, Oregon. The course is fairly flat with rolling hills and features a mostly grass surface, some gravel, and no pavement. The course has hosted the GNAC Championships five times and the NCAA DII West Regional Championships in 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2021. It also hosted the PAC 12 Championships in 2019. "It is important for our athletes to gain experience competing on a true cross-country course like this because it is what they'll see at the four-year level," states head coach Sean Ricketts. 

Competing in out of state competition is important because it allows the program to showcase the athletes to four-year universities looking to recruit and for them to gain experience traveling and competing.

The San Diego City Coach Downey Classic will be held near Balboa Park at Morley Field. The women's team will be represented by Briana Ayala. The men's will run with Jake Beckwith, Victor Rosas, Jyden Schmid, Jude Giolitto, Joey Acosta, Joseph DePascale, and Matthew Cordova. 

UP NEXT:
The Olympians will return home to host the Manny Bautista XC Invitational on Friday, October 7. The event will take place at NTC Liberty Station in San Diego, CA.