RIVERSIDE, CA — The University of La Verne men's and women's cross country teams delivered standout performances at the UC Riverside Invitational, posting several all-time marks in program history and proving their early-season fitness against a deep field.
Men's Recap
The men's squad finished 3rd, finishing only behind NCAA Division II Cal State San Marcos.
-
Finn McClure (25:12) – Finished 11th overall, marking the #9 all-time performance in ULV history.
-
Eamon Wright (25:29) – The freshman turned heads with the #12 all-time performance, cutting 1:28 off his debut just weeks ago at Coyote Challenge.
-
Nicolas Saenz (25:51.4) – The senior captain ran the race of his career, notching a 23-second PR that eclipsed his freshman best. His time now stands as the #22 all-time ULV mark.
From the Coach:
"Nic Saenz was definitely a major highlight on a day with lots of them. I'm so proud of that senior/captain! We all have some mental demons that need to be conquered, and Nic absolutely sleighed his mental game yesterday. His body language was strong. He literally was nodding his head 'yes' through the race. The result was a :23 PR (beating his freshman best) and the #22 All-time fastest ULV performance," said University of La Verne cross country coach Rob Lander.
Women's Recap
The Leopard women competed in the 5K, placing 12th overall and showcasing continued progress from a young roster.
The breakthrough of the day came from Ryleigh LaRue, who clocked 19:09 — a 42-second improvement from her time on the same course a year ago. Her performance now ranks #11 all-time in program history.
From the Coach:
"Ryleigh had her best XC race ever! 19:09, which is :42 faster than she ran at UC Riverside last year and #11 All-time for us," said Lander.
Next Race
The Leopards are back on the course on Friday, October 10, at the San Francisco State Invite.
