Fresno State Athletics
'Dogs XC travels to Nevada for MW Championships
10/28/2015 12:00:00 AM | Cross Country
FRESNO, Calif. - The Fresno State cross country teams travel to the Mountain West Championships on Friday hosted by the University of Nevada at the Montreux Golf and Country Club in Reno, Nev.
MOUNTAIN WEST CHAMPIONSHIPS - MEET INFORMATION
Date: Friday, October 30, 2015
Time: 10:00 a.m. - Men's 8000m; 10:45 a.m. - Women's 6000m
Location: Montreux Golf and Country Club, Reno, Nev.
Course Description: The course is at approximately 5600 in elevation and is 100%golf course style grass.
Live Results: http://www.themw.com/page/championship_c-xc
Live Video: http://www.themw.com/page/championship_c-xc
BULLDOGS LAST TIME OUT
Fresno State last competed at the Santa Clara Bronco Invitational on Oct. 17 highlighted by nine of the 'Dogs 11 runners in the two races clocking season-best times. The men led the way with a sixth-place finish as a team as Cooper Gill was the Bulldogs top finisher with an 18th-place finish completing the 8K course in a time of 24:23.3. The top finisher for the men in three of four races this season, Gill clocked his fastest 8K time of the season at the Sundodger Invitational in 24:20.
Matt Kwiatkowski was 35th in a season-best time of 24:37.7 and he was followed closely by sophomore Joel Gonzalez who finished 39th in 24:41.6.
On the women's side, four 'Dogs ran as Cristal Rivera took off more than 30 seconds from her 6K time to finish 66th overall in a time of 21:51. Meagan Paracholski followed suit and ran a career-best time of 22:05.4 to place 92nd.
BULLDOGS AT THE 2014 MOUNTAIN WEST CHAMPIONSHIPS
Fresno State finished seventh on the men's side and eighth on the women's side at the 2014 Mountain West Championships. Hosting the meet at its own Woodward Park in Fresno, the Bulldogs were led by Matt Kwiatkowski with a 31st place finish as he clocked a time of 24:41. Also returning for the 'Dogs will be senior Nathan Esparza, who was right on Kwiatkowski's heels finishing 32nd (24:42). Sophomore Efren Reyes (41st), junior Uriel Cabanas (53rd) and sophomore Joel Gonzalez (57th) also all return to the lineup for the Bulldogs.
On the women's side, the 'Dogs return sophomore Mackenzie Landa, senior Meagan Paracholski and junior Brittany Laygo from last year's squad. Landa finished 33rd on the Fresno course finishing the 6K in a time of 21:44, while Paracholski and Laygo placed 80th and 87th, respectively.
This will be the 'Dogs fourth trip to the Mountain West Championships. The men placed sixth in their first year in the conference in 2012 and have followed with a pair of seventh-place finishes the last two years. The women finished seventh at UNLV in 2012 and have finished eighth the last two years.
MOUNTAIN WEST ALL-CONFERNCE SELECTIONS
The top seven finishers will be awarded First Team All-Conference with the eighth through 14th place finishers nabbing Second Team honors. Redshirting this fall, Annemarie Schwanz became the first Bulldog to earn those honors as she picked up second-team all-conference accolades in the Mountain West finishing 11th overall as a sophomore in 2013.
MOUNTAIN WEST TEAMS IN THE POLLS
The 'Dogs will face some tough competition on Friday as the men's side features seven regionally-ranked squads. Likewise, the women will face stiff competition as six MW squads rank in the top ten in their respective regions.
Boise State, Air Force and Colorado State are all ranked in the top 30 in the latest USTFCCCA poll as the Broncos check in 16th, followed by the Falcons in 26th and Rams in 30th. In the Mountain region, Air Force ranks fourth and is followed by Colorado State (5th), San Jose State (7th), Wyoming (10th) and Utah State (11th). Boise State is third in the West and SJSU checks in 15th.
On the women's side, New Mexico is ranked first in the nation and first in the Mountain region. The Lobo women won both the Notre Dame Invitational and Wisconsin Adidas Invitational this season. The Boise State women are ranked ninth in the nation and second in the West region. The Broncos claimed the top spot at the Roy Griak Invitational hosted by Minnesota edging defending national champion Michigan State. Four other MW programs rank in the top ten in the Mountain region as Air Force, Colorado State, Utah State and Wyoming come in seventh through tenth, respectively.
UP NEXT
The Bulldogs return to action on Friday, Nov. 13 at the NCAA West Regional hosted by the University of Washington in Seattle, Wash. The women's 6000m race will get underway at Jefferson Park Golf Course at noon and be followed by the men's 10,000m race at 1 p.m.
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