Lewis breaks school record

Saturday, October 16

Riverside, Calif.

8 A.M.

Grand Canyon

Highlander Invitational

Photo by: Sam Kuzminski

10/16/2021 12:25:00 PM | Cross Country

Men's team runs best race in GCU history

By: Sam Kuzminski

Saturday, Oct. 16 | Riverside, Calif. | Highland Invitational

Men's team

Women's team

Team finish: third of 26
GCU top individual: Jacob Lewis (junior), third of 290

Team finish: ninth of 25
GCU top individual: Hana Hall (freshman), 96th of 262

Follow GCU cross country: @GCU_TrackXC

RIVERSIDE, Calif. — Grand Canyon junior Jacob Lewis broke the cross country program's 8,000-meter school record on Saturday at the Highlander Invitational, the Lopes' last regular-season meet before WAC Championships.

Lewis broke the GCU 8,000-meter record with a time of 24 minutes, 2.9 seconds, placing third overall. He broke the school record by over 20 seconds, which was originally held by Daniel Flores in 2018.

A Lopes freshman record was also broken by Braedon Palmer, who finished ninth with a time of 24:19.6.

GCU redshirt freshman Cannon Angotti finished close behind Palmer with a time of 24:24.8 in 17th place. Angotti and Palmer worked together to the finish line and pushed each other well.

"The men had a really good day," Lopes head coach Sara Slattery said. "This was their best race as a team in school history. We were impressed with the front running early on and how they held it."

The men's team placed third with a score of 113 points, trailing winner California Baptist (75) and runner-up CSU Fullerton (78).

"The rest of the men followed the race plans well and learned a lot on the course and will use that knowledge for two weeks from now at conference," Slattery said.

On the women's side, redshirt freshman Hana Hall was the top Lopes finisher in 36th place with a personal-record time of 21:44.8.

GCU senior Ana Alvarez Tostado placed 65th with a time of 22:20.1, and junior Kendall Drisko was right behind her in 22:25.3 for 71st place.

Working together well, redshirt freshman Halle Jenkins crossed the finish line in 22:52.7 for 96th place with junior Andrea Demko finishing 99th in 22:56.1.

"The women took a big step today," Slattery said. "I thought Kendall and Ana worked really well together throughout the race, as well as Halle and and Andie. We are missing a few women and are excited to add everyone in for conference in two weeks."

The Lopes will return to Riverside in two weeks for WAC Championships.