'Dogs head to UC Riverside Invitational

UC RIVERSIDE INVITATIONAL
September 19, 2026 | Riverside, Calif. | UCR Agricultural Operations Course
Women's 6k – 7:15 a.m. PT | Men's 8k – 8:55 a.m. PT

COVERAGE
Live Results: Finished Results
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FRESNO, Calif. – The Fresno State cross country team returns to the UC Riverside Invitational for the seventh straight season this weekend.

The Bulldogs head to the UCR Agricultural Operations Course in Riverside, California, to compete in two races: the women's 6k at 7:15 a.m. PT and the men's 8k at 8:55 a.m. PT.

TALE OF THE TERRAIN

The UC Riverside course is mostly flat with a few rolling hills, and hard-packed dirt with pre-competition watering to reduce dust.
It is run through the Agricultural Operations Center, which features 100-year-old citrus trees.

NOT OUR FIRST RODEO

The Bulldogs have competed at the UCR Invitational for six straight seasons.
Chiara Pedol claimed the program's third-best 6k time at the UC Riverside Invitational in 2024. She is returning to the course for the third time in her career, and her first race of the 2026 season.
Khushleen Khakh is also no stranger to the UC Riverside course, owning the program's fifth-best 6k mark that she earned in the event in 2024.
In 2025, Rhiannon Walker finished with a time of 21:30, Fresno State's 12th-best finish in a 6k race, at the UC Riverside Invitational.

THE 2026 SQUAD

The Fresno State women's cross country team returns eight out of nine runners from the 2025 team.
Last season, the women's team had its best finish in the NCAA West Regional since 2013.
The Bulldogs' top runner, Chiara Pedol, who led Fresno State in every race last season, returns for her junior season. She is joined by fellow international runner Nayla Martin as one of the Bulldogs' top runners.
The men's team returns four out of five runners from last season, including team leaders Noah Graffigna and Emilio Nunez.
Jaden Tungate, Enrique Loredo and Elijah Williams also return to the Bulldog squad.

LEADERS OF THE PACK

Head Coach Jason Drake enters his eighth season leading the Bulldogs.
This year, he is joined by assistant coach McKaylie Caesar, a former All-American cross country runner born and raised in the Central Valley in Lindsay, Calif.

FOR THE V

The Fresno State cross country team boasts 24 athletes from the Valley.
All 11 of the runners on the men's team originate from Valley cities, making them the only team on Fresno State's campus that is fully represented by Valley natives.

DRAKE'S TAKES

"The UC Riverside Invitational is a great opportunity for us to measure our progress year over year, and our goal is always to improve on where we finished a season ago," said Head Coach Jason Drake. "I'm excited about where our women are right now, and I think we could see some movement on our program's top-25 list."
"Our men have battled some illness this week, but they've trained well and can improve on last year's fourth-place finish," he added. "We're looking forward to getting out there and seeing the progress both groups have made."

'Dogs head to UC Riverside Invitational

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Players Mentioned

Noah Graffigna

Khushleen Khakh

Enrique Loredo

Nayla Martin

Emilio Nunez

Chiara Pedol

Jaden Tungate

Rhiannon Walker

Elijah Williams

Fresno State Athletics

'Dogs head to UC Riverside Invitational

Next Event

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Players Mentioned

Noah Graffigna

Khushleen Khakh

Enrique Loredo

Nayla Martin

Emilio Nunez

Chiara Pedol

Jaden Tungate

Rhiannon Walker

Elijah Williams

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