COC Teams Enjoy Strong Run at WSC Preview Meet

Stock action image of College of the Canyons student-athlete Cesar Tobar.
Results
October 3, 2023

By Mari Kneisel/COC Sports Information  

OXNARD — College of the Canyons continued its strong pace to the season with a run at the Western State Conference (WSC) Preview event hosted by Oxnard College, with the women's team bringing home a fourth-place finish and the men's team taking fifth.  

COC freshman Katelyn Catu led the way for the Lady Cougars once more, finishing the 5K course in 19:10.7 to place seventh. Freshman Kaiya Cortinas was next, crossing the line in the 15th spot posting a time of 20:00.4.  

Cortinas was followed by sophomore Emily Cruz a little over a minute and a half later. Cruz took the 26th spot with her time of 21:40. 

Freshmen Emily Valdez (22:40.5) finished as the 33rd runner and Emily Fairbanks (24:41.7) claimed the 48th spot in the field of 64. 

Glendale College (56) worked for first place in the women's team standings followed by Allan Hancock College (77) in second, host Oxnard (103) in third and Canyons (116) in fourth. 

On the men's side, the Cougars saw sophomore Cesar Tobar finish the 4K course in 17th place with his time of 21:24.2. 

Tobar was followed by sophomore Jerome Hughes as the 21st runner at a time of 21:53.6 with freshman Nathaniel Wilkinson at his heals, taking the 24th spot while running his best time of the season at 22:06. 

COC freshman Jack Eaton worked for the 34th spot out of 107 other runners, recording a time of 22:29.4. Fernando Osorio (44th/23:16) trailed Eaton. Diego Sanchez was right behind Osorio (38th/23:23.4).

Sophomores Juan Jimenez-Rojas (60th/23:50.1) and Elijah Dixon (62nd/23:55.5) closed it out for the Cougars.  

Bakersfield (31) finished in first with Moorpark (73), Glendale (84) and Ventura (94) slotting into the top four spots. Canyons settled into the fifth spot with a team score of 139.

The Cougars now have a short break before returning to racing at the Mt. San Antonio College Invitational on Friday, Oct. 13. That event will serve as the final tuneup before the WSC Championships being run Friday, Oct. 20, at L.A. Pierce College.

Stay up to date on all this season's action by following the College of the Canyons Athletic department on social media at @COCathletics on X, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.