IRVINE, Calif. – Concordia cross country continued its upward climb this fall as six Golden Eagles earned All-PacWest honors, highlighted by a major award on the women's side and multiple top-tier finishes for the men in championship competition.
On the men's side, Noah Plaza and Spencer Handorf powered CUI with strong postseason performances to secure First Team All-PacWest recognition. Plaza and Handorf once again ran up front for the Green and Gold and continued to establish themselves among the conference's elite distance runners.
Freshman Dante Maldonado broke through with a standout race of his own, claiming Second Team All-PacWest honors after finishing among the top runners in his championship debut. Senior veteran Moises Benito added to the Golden Eagles' total by snagging Third Team All-PacWest, rounding out a balanced scoring group for CUI.
The women's squad also celebrated a pair of All-Conference selections, led by senior transfer Ania Kapustka, who delivered a sensational performance at the PacWest Championships. Kapustka placed fourth overall to earn First Team All-PacWest, and her consistent excellence throughout the season resulted in her being named the PacWest Newcomer of the Year.
Kapustka made an immediate impact in her debut season with CUI, finishing top-five in four different races, earning all-region honors in Oregon, and winning the San Francisco State Invitational by more than eight seconds. Her presence at the front of the pack set the tone all fall long.
Fellow standout Elizabeth King added another honor to the Green and Gold tally, finishing inside the top 10 to secure Second Team All-PacWest. King's strong postseason surge anchored the women's unit and provided crucial scoring depth behind Kapustka.
With four All-Conference honorees on the men's side and two on the women's side, the Golden Eagles capped off one of their most impressive cross country seasons in recent years. Both squads now shift focus to winter training as they prepare for the upcoming track and field campaign.
