The men’s and women’s cross country teams began their 2024 season Saturday at the Mark Covert Classic, hosted at Carbon Regional Park in Brea.
The event was the first competition under new head coach Rob Lander, who is eager to build on the team’s strong performance.
In the men’s race, the Leopards finished ninth out of a group of competitors that included NCAA Division I and II, NAIA and junior college teams.
Senior Thomas Taniguchi led the way for La Verne with a time of 25:57.3. Sophomore Finn McClure followed with a time of 26:09.4. Junior Zyeir Shabete completed the course in 26:22.5. Graduate student Jared Albaugh finished in 26:45.3.
One of the highlights of the men’s race was Roberto Reynoso’s personal best of 27:04, which was 20 seconds faster than his previous best. Freshman Logan Ciszek had a debut time of 27:04 and Nicolas Saenz set a personal record with a time of 27:09. The Leopards’ performance was notable, as they finished ahead of four SCIAC opponents.
The women’s team, competing in the 5K race, was led by sophomore Marissa Hehir, who finished with a time of 19:12.9. Lizbeth Garcia set a personal record with a time of 20:39, improving her previous best by 21 seconds, and Ryleigh LaRue finished with a time of 21:25.6. Emily Guzman (21:26.5) and Peyton Carrera (21:34.8) also delivered strong performances, helping the team to a 12th-place finish.
The meet showcased promising performances from both teams and provided a solid foundation for the rest of the season.
The Leopards will next compete at the UC Riverside Invitational on Sept. 21.
—Jonas Holt
Jonas Holt is a senior journalism major with a concentration in print and online journalism. He is sports editor of the Campus Times, a staff writer for La Verne Magazine and staff photographer for both publications. He has previously been a staff writer for the Campus Times.
Liberty Belle is a senior photography major and marketing minor. She is also the photography editor of the Campus Times. She has previously served as photography editor of La Verne Magazine and a staff photographer for both publications.
