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CSUSM Takes Runner-Up Honors at Cougar Challenge

Meet: Cougar Challenge
Location: San Marcos, Calif.
Date: Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024
Team Invite Finish: 2nd out of 13 teams
Top CSUSM Finisher: Sankalp Shastri (4th, 24:21.1)
Winner: Salt Lake's JaQuavious Harris (23:59.0)
 
COURSE REPORT: The Cal State San Marcos men's cross country team recorded its best Cougar Challenge finish since 2019, taking second place with a score of 71. The Cougars were led by fourth-place finisher Sankalp Shastri and 11th place Alan Jimenez.
 
FINISH LINE

  • Shastri's 8K time of 24:21.1 was his second consecutive PR time, taking fourth out of 155 runners.
  • Alan Jimenez was the next Cougar to cross the line with a CSUSM PR time of 24:32.0.
  • Renton McGregor took 22nd with a time of 25:05.6 while Ataklty Gebru placed 31st at 25:21.2.
  • Ziggy Nacco, Jacob Brown and Braden Oberg rounded out CSUSM's scoring seven with 33rd (25:22.0), 36th (25:28.7) and 37th place (25:29.0), respectively.
     

THOUGHTS FROM COACH OLSON
"The men's team competed today short two key competitors in Nick (Melanese) and Chas (O'Bear). The guys stepped up well in their absence, with San (Shastri) and Alan (Jimenez) leading the way with very strong performances in the front. It was great to see Renton (McGregor) rounding back into form behind them as well."
 
WHAT'S NEXT
CSUSM will take next weekend off before heading to Alabama for the UAH Chargers Invitational on Oct. 12.   

TEAM RESULTS

1 Salt Lake 17
2 Cal State San Marcos 71
3 Mt. SAC 103
4 San Diego Mesa 128
5 Cal State Monterey Bay 171
6 Cal State East Bay 171
7 UT San Antonio 222
8 San Bernardino Valley 223
9 San Francisco State 238
10 Chapman 270
11 Soka 284
12 Hawaii Pacific 352
13 Academy of Art 371
DNP UC San Diego ---
DNP CUI ---
DNP Whitter ---

CSUSM INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

Players Mentioned

Mark De Haro

5' 10"
Sophomore

Ataklty Gebru

5' 3"
Senior

Renton McGregor

6' 0"
Junior

Mathew Musa

6' 1"
Senior

Ziggy Nacco

Sophomore

Braden Oberg

Sophomore

Jayson  Oliver

5' 6"
Sophomore

Sankalp Shastri

5' 9"
Junior

Jacob  Brown

Redshirt Sophomore

Alan Jimenez

Redshirt Junior

Players Mentioned

Mark De Haro

5' 10"
Sophomore

Ataklty Gebru

5' 3"
Senior

Renton McGregor

6' 0"
Junior

Mathew Musa

6' 1"
Senior

Ziggy Nacco

Sophomore

Braden Oberg

Sophomore

Jayson  Oliver

5' 6"
Sophomore

Sankalp Shastri

5' 9"
Junior

Jacob  Brown

Redshirt Sophomore

Alan Jimenez

Redshirt Junior