MOUNTAIN WEST CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS
Date: Oct. 27, 2023
Time: 9:15 a.m. PT – Men's 8k; 10 a.m. PT – Women's 6k
Location: Eagle Island State Park, Boise, Idaho
Live Results: RTSPT
Live Stream:Mountain West Network
FRESNO, Calif. – The Fresno State cross country teams travel to Boise, Idaho to compete in this week's Mountain West Cross Country Championships.
HEADING INTO CONFERENCE ON A HIGH
Fresno State's top runner Corie Smith posted her top time of season come last time out at the Bronco Invitational. Her time of 21:16.1 moved her into sole possession of ninth on the Fresno State all-time list.
Smith wasn't the only Bulldog making moves as three other Bulldogs moved into the program's Top 25. Taking 39 seconds off her previous best, Gianna Chiaramonte clocked a time of 21:55.0 which moved the junior to No. 20 at Fresno State. Just behind her were fellow juniors Ashley Ochoa (21:59.0) and Mia Jauregui (22:01.8) who sit No. 23 and No. 24 on the list.
FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
Following her performance at the Pacific Invitational, Khushleen Khakh was named Mountain West Freshman of the Week. She is the first Bulldog to earn a weekly honor from the conference since Sept. 21, 2021.
Khakh finished 10th in the 6k with a time of 21:58.4, her highest finish of the season. The time was the freshman's best of the year and moved her up to No. 20 on the program's all-time list.
'DOGS IN ACTION
The women's team will be comprised of 10 athletes while the men will have five.
Women's squad - Gianna Chiaramonte, Diana Cortes, Rain Gomez, Mia Jauregui, Khushleen Khakh, Ashley Ochoa, Janae Penner, Ximena Ramos, Corie Smith, Kylie Ward
Men's squad - Corey Ford, Emilio Nunez, Christian Santana, Elijah Williams, Yu Chen Yong
BULLDOGS IN 2023
Fresno State women
With 17 athletes, the women will have its largest roster since Head Coach Jason Drake took over the program in 2019.
Eight of the 17 return from last year while two others joined the track program last spring.
Shaylee Grimm and Corie Smith return after combining to be the Bulldogs' top finishers in each race in 2022.
Fresno State men
The men's team features a five-man squad with returners Juanathan Reyes and Christian Santana. Yu Chen Yong joined the team after joining the track team last spring.
IN THE FRESNO STATE TOP 25
Three Bulldogs who rank inside the program's Top 25 return for this year. Corie Smith (9th) and Shaylee Grimm (16th) in the women's 6k.
STAYING IN CALIFORNIA FOR AWHILE
The Bulldogs' schedule will see them run their first four races in California beginning in San Francisco. Fresno State will also run in meets in Riverside, Lodi and Sunnyvale. That will lead into the Mountain West Championships on Oct. 27 in Boise, Idaho before returning back to the Golden State for the NCAA West Regional in Sacramento.