Completed Event: Cross Country at George Kyte Classic on August 30, 2025 , , M: 3rd out of 13 | W: 6th out of 10
XC
at George Kyte Classic
M: 3rd out of 13 | W: 6th out of 10
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Slattery adds 10 to roster
8/2/2019 3:00:00 PM | Cross Country
Lopes class of 8 freshmen, 2 transfers bolsters distance squad
Grand Canyon cross country head coach Sara Slattery announced her 2019 signing class in advance of the Aug. 31 season opener.
Slattery and the Lopes welcome eight freshmen and two transfers to a GCU roster that returns 21 student-athletes.
Among the newcomers are Cheyenne Walden, who competed for the Lopes during the 2019 track and field season after transferring from Oklahoma State, and Robby Foster, an Arizona native who is transferring from CSU Northridge.
The 10 new Lopes are Rylan Stubbs, Joseph Skoog, Grant Callen, Robby Foster, Chad Humphreys, Cheyenne Walden, Brooke Wallace, Woodlyn Smith, Stefana Purkovic and Kourtney Delperdang.
Arizona's top male distance runner, Rylan Stubbs, was the 2019 Arizona 5A 1,600-meter champion at the AIA State Championships and the 2017 AIA D-II cross country champion as a junior and third-place finisher as a sophomore. The senior finished fourth at the Adidas High School Dream Mile and was the only participant from the state of Arizona.
Stubbs only raced in two cross country meets as a senior but he won the Chandler Invitational.
As a senior, Stubbs finished second in the 1,600 meters at the Arcadia Invitational, one of the biggest high school track meets in the country.
Slattery: "Rylan is the strongest recruits we have had come into GCU's program. He comes in as a five-time state champion from Arizona. Rylan had a great spring where he won two more state titles and raced at the Adidas High School Dream Mile."
Skoog comes to the Valley after finishing third at the Washington 4A cross country state championship, racing at the 2018 Nike BorderClash 20 for the state of Washington and winning seven track and field races as a senior.
The 2018 Northwest Conference cross country champion won seven track meets as a senior, including the 3,200-meter run at the Northwest Conference Championships.
Slattery: "Joseph has had three fantastic finishes at the highest level of cross country racing in Washington. He will bring a lot of depth right away to our cross country team as well as on the track in the spring."
Callen improved his 800 time by over five seconds between his final two seasons on the track and over 20 seconds off his 1,600 time during the same span.
Slattery: "Grant showed huge improvement this last spring. He will strengthen our middle distance squad and be a big addition to our program."
Slattery: "We are looking to build Bobby's base and get him stronger. He will be another big addition to our strong middle distance squad."
Slattery: "Chad has run strong times as a junior and senior, and with a strong summer and fall he will help add depth to our team in cross country and on the track."
Walden headlines the newcomers for the women after racing for two seasons at Oklahoma State. Walden finished 16th at the Big 12 Cross Country Championships as a freshman, 27th at the NCAA Midwest Region Cross Country Championships and has NCAA Championships experience running for the Cowboys in 2017.
Slattery: "Cheyenne transferred in at semester last year but had a lot of interruptions in her training all year. Cheyenne was a 9 time state champion from Oklahoma and I am really excited to see what she can do with a consistent strong year."
One of two Arizona-raised females added to Slattery's roster, Stefana Purkovic comes to GCU from Phoenix North Canyon High School. An AZCentral.com Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year finalist, Purkovic won three races as a senior and had three other top-six finishes in 2018. Purkovic finished second at the 2018 AIA D-II Cross Country Championships after making a two-minute improvement from the previous season and led the Rattlers to a second-place team finish.
Slattery: "Stefana is a very determined and will give our women's team a lot of depth this year after finishing as a runner-up in cross country."
Woodlyn Smith, from Flagstaff Coconino High School, is the other female from Arizona joining the squad. A state champion in the 300-meter hurdles, Smith also finished fifth overall at the 2018 AIA D-III Cross Country Championships and finished seventh at the same meet as a junior in 2017.
Slattery: "Woodlyn is a multitalented athlete with a lot of range and the potential to be a great steeplechaser."
Wallace heralds a distinctive running career from Glacier Peak High School in Snohomish, Wash. Wallace won five races as a senior and ran her fastest 5K in cross country at her conference championship as a senior, when she finished sixth.
Slattery: "Brooke had an amazing spring and ran huge PR's in every event from the 400 meters up to the 3,200 meters. She will make an impact right away and will be a big addition to our XC team."
Slattery: "Kourtney has a run everything from the 60-meter hurdles to the 3,000 meters on the track and has a lot of potential to improve."
GCU's season begins with an Aug. 31 dual meet at Arizona in Tucson.
Slattery and the Lopes welcome eight freshmen and two transfers to a GCU roster that returns 21 student-athletes.
Among the newcomers are Cheyenne Walden, who competed for the Lopes during the 2019 track and field season after transferring from Oklahoma State, and Robby Foster, an Arizona native who is transferring from CSU Northridge.
The 10 new Lopes are Rylan Stubbs, Joseph Skoog, Grant Callen, Robby Foster, Chad Humphreys, Cheyenne Walden, Brooke Wallace, Woodlyn Smith, Stefana Purkovic and Kourtney Delperdang.
MEET THE 2019 CLASS |
RYLAN STUBBS
Gilbert, Ariz. - Campo Verde HS
3️⃣✖️ Arizona state champion and the top distance runner in the state has signed to be a Lope! Welcome Rylan Stubbs to GCU #LopesUp pic.twitter.com/tpy7lTyjEj
— GCU Track & XC (@GCU_TrackXC) January 24, 2019
Arizona's top male distance runner, Rylan Stubbs, was the 2019 Arizona 5A 1,600-meter champion at the AIA State Championships and the 2017 AIA D-II cross country champion as a junior and third-place finisher as a sophomore. The senior finished fourth at the Adidas High School Dream Mile and was the only participant from the state of Arizona.
Stubbs only raced in two cross country meets as a senior but he won the Chandler Invitational.
As a senior, Stubbs finished second in the 1,600 meters at the Arcadia Invitational, one of the biggest high school track meets in the country.
Slattery: "Rylan is the strongest recruits we have had come into GCU's program. He comes in as a five-time state champion from Arizona. Rylan had a great spring where he won two more state titles and raced at the Adidas High School Dream Mile."
JOSEPH SKOOG
Mill Creek, Wash. - Jackson HS
Welcome another Washington native to the distance squad. Lope Nation welcomes you, Joseph! #LopesUp pic.twitter.com/mOieSV1bl8
— GCU Track & XC (@GCU_TrackXC) April 3, 2019
Skoog comes to the Valley after finishing third at the Washington 4A cross country state championship, racing at the 2018 Nike BorderClash 20 for the state of Washington and winning seven track and field races as a senior.
The 2018 Northwest Conference cross country champion won seven track meets as a senior, including the 3,200-meter run at the Northwest Conference Championships.
Slattery: "Joseph has had three fantastic finishes at the highest level of cross country racing in Washington. He will bring a lot of depth right away to our cross country team as well as on the track in the spring."
GRANT CALLEN
Santa Ana, Calif. - Foothill HS
The addition of Grant Callen solidifies an exceptional mid-distance crew for GCU. Callen ran a personal record of 1 minute 52.60 seconds in the 800 meters at the 2019 CIF-SS Division 1 finals, placing third. The Santa Ana, Calif., native is a two-time record holder at Foothill High School and shaved over two minutes off his 5-kilometer time in cross country between his sophomore and senior years, without racing as a junior.Callen improved his 800 time by over five seconds between his final two seasons on the track and over 20 seconds off his 1,600 time during the same span.
Slattery: "Grant showed huge improvement this last spring. He will strengthen our middle distance squad and be a big addition to our program."
ROBBY FOSTER
Phoenix, Ariz. - Shadow Mountain HS - Cal State Northridge
Foster, a Phoenix Shadow Mountain High School alumnus, returns to his hometown after running in five cross country races for the Matadors at CSU Northridge. Foster has experience at the NCAA West Regional as a freshman.Slattery: "We are looking to build Bobby's base and get him stronger. He will be another big addition to our strong middle distance squad."
CHAD HUMPHREYS
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho - Coeur d'Alene HS
Humphreys had a strong running career at Coeur d'Alene High School in Idaho. Humphreys finished seventh at the 2018 Idaho Cross Country Championships and third in 2017 as a junior. Humphreys also ran at the Nike Cross Northwest Regional Championships three times over his high school career.Slattery: "Chad has run strong times as a junior and senior, and with a strong summer and fall he will help add depth to our team in cross country and on the track."
CHEYENNE WALDEN
Sand Springs, Okla. - Sand Springs HS - Oklahoma State
🖋A big mid-year transfer from Oklahoma State. Welcome distance/cross country runner Cheyenne Walden #LopesUp pic.twitter.com/UKTm2uKXSo
— GCU Track & XC (@GCU_TrackXC) December 27, 2018
Walden headlines the newcomers for the women after racing for two seasons at Oklahoma State. Walden finished 16th at the Big 12 Cross Country Championships as a freshman, 27th at the NCAA Midwest Region Cross Country Championships and has NCAA Championships experience running for the Cowboys in 2017.
Slattery: "Cheyenne transferred in at semester last year but had a lot of interruptions in her training all year. Cheyenne was a 9 time state champion from Oklahoma and I am really excited to see what she can do with a consistent strong year."
STEFANA PURKOVIC
Phoenix, Ariz. - North Canyon HS
We signed another distance runner! Welcome, to Lope Nation Stefana #LopesUp pic.twitter.com/wKb3KlJNqp
— GCU Track & XC (@GCU_TrackXC) April 11, 2019
One of two Arizona-raised females added to Slattery's roster, Stefana Purkovic comes to GCU from Phoenix North Canyon High School. An AZCentral.com Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year finalist, Purkovic won three races as a senior and had three other top-six finishes in 2018. Purkovic finished second at the 2018 AIA D-II Cross Country Championships after making a two-minute improvement from the previous season and led the Rattlers to a second-place team finish.
Slattery: "Stefana is a very determined and will give our women's team a lot of depth this year after finishing as a runner-up in cross country."
WOODLYN SMITH
Flagstaff, Ariz. - Coconino HS
Another signing to announce. Welcome, Woodlyn #LopesUp pic.twitter.com/9poySQ0a8N
— GCU Track & XC (@GCU_TrackXC) November 29, 2018
Woodlyn Smith, from Flagstaff Coconino High School, is the other female from Arizona joining the squad. A state champion in the 300-meter hurdles, Smith also finished fifth overall at the 2018 AIA D-III Cross Country Championships and finished seventh at the same meet as a junior in 2017.
Slattery: "Woodlyn is a multitalented athlete with a lot of range and the potential to be a great steeplechaser."
BROOKE WALLACE
Snohomish, Wash. - Glacier Peak HS
Welcome Brooke to the cross country and track and field team #LopesUp pic.twitter.com/ZzPbMkunLF
— GCU Track & XC (@GCU_TrackXC) April 3, 2019
Wallace heralds a distinctive running career from Glacier Peak High School in Snohomish, Wash. Wallace won five races as a senior and ran her fastest 5K in cross country at her conference championship as a senior, when she finished sixth.
Slattery: "Brooke had an amazing spring and ran huge PR's in every event from the 400 meters up to the 3,200 meters. She will make an impact right away and will be a big addition to our XC team."
KOURTNEY DELPERDANG
Spirit Lake, Iowa - Spirit Lake HS
Kourtney Delperdang, from Spirit Lake, Iowa, ran her fastest 3,000 meters in her junior track season at the Iowa State Championships and posted her fastest 5K cross country time during a stellar freshman season in which she finished second at the Iowa Cross Country Championships.Slattery: "Kourtney has a run everything from the 60-meter hurdles to the 3,000 meters on the track and has a lot of potential to improve."
GCU's season begins with an Aug. 31 dual meet at Arizona in Tucson.
Players Mentioned
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