Top GCU runners set personal bests at team's 2nd meet

Saturday, September 21

Riverside, Calif. / UCR Ag Ops Course

W - 7:15 a.m. | M - 7:50 a.m.

Grand Canyon

UCR Invitational

Photo by: Nathan Peters

9/21/2024 10:24:00 AM | Cross Country

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Corral, Hemmerlin lead Lopes at Riverside by improving on last year's runs

RIVERSIDE, Calif. — The Grand Canyon cross country teams ended a three-week layoff Saturday with their leading runners recording personal bests at the UC Riverside Invitational.

GCU senior Emmanuel Corral improved his finish at last year's Riverside meet by 101 spots to crack the 248-runner field's top 100.

Corral, the 2023 SWAC steeplechase champion, shaved nearly two minutes off his 2023 event time at the Agricultural Operations Course. He finished the 8,000-meter course in a personal best of 24 minutes, 46 seconds (26:40.2 last year). He was running among the race's top 80 after the second and third splits before finishing 97th.

"Emmannuel seemed to time his race perfectly," GCU head coach Shayla Houlihan said. "He remained tough and consistent through the entirety of the race."

The Lopes women were led by senior Niki Hemmerlin, who surged up 32 spots after he 6,000-meter course's first split to finish in 21:50.3, a personal best that was nine seconds faster than her time in last year's Riverside meet.

"Niki is continuing to gain confidence in her ability to lead this team and continue to compete at a higher and higher level," Houlihan said.

The GCU men took 19th place among 26 teams with sophomore Ethan Smith, a transfer from Moorpark, running second on the team in his Lopes debut. He was 100th overall at 24:49.1, just ahead of junior Alex Rafferty taking 116th at 24:57, about 18 seconds faster than his 2023 time in Riverside. Junior Mac Eliason (24:59.8) and freshman Greyson Akerson (25:17.8) rounded out the scoring group.

"The men executed the race plan very well," Houlihan said. "Ethan Smith was huge for us today in his first-ever 8k, and I'm excited to see where he will build toward each week. Alex Raffety continues to be our rock on the men's side. He led them out off the start line to help clear the way and selflessly pulled these guys together. His leadership is huge for where we are headed. Overall, I'm happy with how these men ran for each other, and I know e have some bigger races inside of us in the coming weeks as we look toward the championship portion of the season."

The women raced with five freshmen and a sophomore who is a first-time cross country competitor and landed in 25th.

Freshman Selah Akers ran second among the Lopes with a time of 22:00.5 in her debut at the distance.

"Niki ran a great race with freshman Selah nipping at her heels the whole way," Houlihan said. "For Selah, it was her first 6K ever so there is always a transition to the new distance. She seemed to do it like a pro."

A quartet of GCU teammates trailed her closely with senior Hana Hall in 155th at 22:07.6, sophomore Shoshanah Stukas in 169th at 22:14.5 and freshmen Taylor Hansen and Eva Johnson finishing in 22:15.8 and 22:17.8, respectively.

"The addition of Shoshanah has been so amazing," Houlihan said. "She's a triathlete that is dipping down in distance. She handled the faster pace of the shorter distance really well to finish as our fourth runner."

The Lopes' turnaround for a meet will be quicker this time. They head to the Dave Murray Invitational in Tucson next Saturday.

"We're looking forward to gaining some momentum as we look to Tucson next week," Houlihan said.

Complete results from the UC Riverside Invitational can be seen here.