ROCKLIN, Calif. – The Concordia University Irvine cross country squads both turned in Top 3 showings at the PacWest Conference Championships over the weekend, rising to the occasion as the season hits its crescendo.
Racing on a rare Sunday for the conference meet, the CUI women finished in second place behind Biola while the men's team placed third.
The ladies featured a terrific trio towards the front, with
Ania Kapustka,
Brianna Hayes and
Ryann Smith all earning First Team All-Conference honors by finishing in the Top 7. Kapustka was second overall, Hayes was right behind her in fifth place and Smith was in hot pursuit in seventh.
This is the first time Concordia women's cross country has featured three First Team All-Conference finishers at the PacWest Championships.
"That was a huge accomplishment for our program by those three ladies," said CUI head coach David Pleitez. "They've been consistent leaders for us on and off the course this season and seeing them perform when it matters most was amazing. It's a testament to their hard work and commitment to the goals of our team."
"Having three athletes finish that high in a championship race says a lot about the strength of our front pack and the direction our women's program is heading," continued Pleitez. "What excites me most is that I still believe there's another level we can reach if we close the gap of our top 5 and I know we have the talent on this team to do it."
For Kapustka, this is her second straight season on the First Team All-PacWest list. She was the PacWest Newcomer of the Year in 2025.
Mariza Chavez earned Third Team All-PacWest honors by settling in to a groove and placing 15th in the field.
Elizabeth Roberts rounded out the five scoring CUI women and finished 22nd overall.
CLICK HERE for the women's results
On the men's side, SAAC representative
Spencer Handorf took third place for the second straight season. Joining Handorf on the First Team All-PacWest short list was
Owen Stults who catapulted up 20 spots from a year ago in one of his best performances as a Golden Eagle.
"I was super proud of Owen and Spencer," admitted Coach Pleitez. "They went out and put themselves in the top 5 the whole race and raced with confidence the whole time. Owen finished 25th at conference last year and took a big step forward this year."
Eddie Hocking made Second Team All-PacWest with a 13th place finish while
Isaiah Garma was close behind him in 15th place. Joining Garma as Third Team All-PacWest selections was
Caleb Hernandez, who made the Top 21 as a true freshman to cap off a solid first season with the Green and Gold.
CLICK HERE for the men's results
"We had a lot of great individual performances this meet but at the same time, we know there's still room for improvement as a team," added Coach Pleitez. "The next step for us is finding a way to put it all together and have our entire team perform at its best on the same day. That's what will take us to the next level as a team and I'm excited to go on this adventure with them."
CLICK HERE for the full CUI women's cross country schedule
CLICK HERE for the full CUI men's cross country schedule
