Completed Event: Cross Country at George Kyte Classic on September 2, 2026 , , M: 4th of 5 | W: 2nd of 5
XC
at George Kyte Classic
M: 4th of 5 | W: 2nd of 5
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Photo by: Josh Cale
10/30/2026 3:05:00 PM | Cross Country
GCUwomen take 4th, men finish 5th at conference meet in Reno
RENO, Nev. — Grand Canyon cross country turned in a pair of top-five team finishes at the Mountain West Championships on Friday, with the women's team placing fourth and the men's team taking fifth.
On the women's side, sophomore Isabella Velazquez led the Lopes in the 6,000-meter race, finishing 22nd with a time of 21 minutes, 23.6 seconds.This finish for Velazquez secured a top finish in all five of the Buckeye, Arizona, native's meets in her standout season.
Sophomore Lauren Pahl of Prior Lake, Minnesota, was the second GCU runner across the line, placing 28th in 21:45.1. Lopes junior Meredith Richter followed just two-tenths of a second later, finishing 29th in 21:45.3.
Freshman Irelyn Kennedy continued the GCU's tight grouping with a 31st-place finish in 21:47.3. Junior Grace Scott rounded out GCU's scoring five in 22:18.0, placing 40th.
The season will continue for six GCU women at NCAA regionals on Nov. 13, when Velazquez, Pahl, Richter, Kennedy, Scott and sophomore Avanti Wadhwa will compete in Sacramento, California.
The Lopes totaled 126 points to finish fourth as a team, showing growth after a 10th-place finish at last year's Mountain West Championship. New Mexico captured the women's title with their five scoring runners finishing in the race's top seven.
On the men's side, freshman Micah Newkirk continued on his strong rookie season, pacing GCU in the 8,000-meter race with a time of 25:16.0 to land the Tempe, Arizona, native in 31st overall.
Another freshman, Trent Gabrielson of Loveland, Colorado, followed in 34th at 25:25.5, while senior teammate Tristen Coyle crossed the line one spot later in 35th with a time of 25:30.4.
Sophomore Archie Budding placed 37th in 25:37.2, while senior Ethan Smith completed the Lopes' scoring five with a 40th-place finish in 25:40.9.
GCU's five scorers finished within 24.9 seconds of one another as the Lopes totaled 151 points to place fifth. New Mexico won the men's title with runners taking the race's top seven spots.
Â
Â
Players Mentioned
DIS
/ Cross Country
DIS
/ Cross Country
DIS
/ Cross Country
DIS
/ Cross Country
DIS
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
DIS
/ Cross Country
DIS
/ Cross Country
DIS
/ Cross Country
DIS
/ Cross Country
DIS
/ Cross CountryFriday, October 30
Friday, October 30
Friday, October 30
Thursday, October 29