Walnut, Calif. – The Mt. SAC Women's Cross Country Team delivered a powerfull performance on their home course at the 77th Annual Mt. SAC Cross Country Invitational, finishing first overall with a team score of 23 points. Hartnell College followed in second with 49, while College of the Sequoias placed third with 66. Pasadena City College rounded out the top four with 98 points.

The event drew 65 competitors from 15 colleges, all racing the grueling 3-mile course that winds through Mt. SAC's legendary terrain. Runners tackled the brutal route that tests both physical and mental endurance through the many iconic features including the Valley Loop, Switchbacks, Poop-Out Hill, Reservoir Hill and the Gauntlet. The Mt. SAC course is widely recognized as one of the most challenging cross country courses in the nation, and a milestone for any serious runner.

The Mounties' performance was a showcase of depth and teamwork. The team finished with an impressive team time of 1:37:46, with an average time of 19:34 per runner (6:32 mile pace) and a five-runner gap (time between their first and fifth scorer) of 1 minute and 47 seconds, reflecting strong consistency across the board.

Kaitlyn Reyes was the Mounties standout, finishing second overall (1 team poin) with a time of 18:44.1. Casey McConn followed closely behind, crossing the line in third place (2 team points) with a time of 19:02.2. Jocelyn Izarraraz-Rodriguez rounded out the top five overall with a time of 19:17.4.

Amber Rios placed 12th overall (7 team points) with a time of 20:10.8 and Jasmine Brandyberry closed out the Mounties' team scoring with a 16th-place finish (9 team points) finishing with a time of 20:47.5, to give the Mounties their winning 23 point score total.  

Rounding out the Mounties' top seven was Tesoro De La Cerra-Martinez who clocked 21:08.4 for 22nd place and Rebekah Cueva who finished 24th with a time of 21:11.1.

The historic meet is more than just a competition—it's a rite of passage. Since its founding in 1948, the Mt. SAC Cross Country Invitational has hosted nearly one million athletes, many of whom have gone on to compete at the Olympic and professional levels. Its fierce reputation for steep climbs and technical descents make it a nightmare to run and a dream to conquer.

NEXT UP:

The Mounties will compete in the South Coast Conference Championships on Friday, October 31. Keep up the good work, ladies!

RESULTS:
https://finishedresults.trackscoreboard.com/meets/13372/events

STAY CONNECTED:

Follow Mt. SAC Cross Country on twitter @MtSAC_XC or Instagram /mountiesxc/

Follow Mt. SAC Athletics on twitter @MtSAC_athletics Instagram /mtsac_athletics/ or Facebook @Mountie.Athletics

For additional information, please contact the Mt. SAC Sports Information