SUNNYVALE, Calif. (Oct. 18) – Two weeks after their trip to Oregon, the UC Santa Barbara Men's and Women's Cross Country teams are back in California and looking to build on their strong performances from the Charles Bowles Invitational. The Gauchos are set to compete at the Bronco Invitational, hosted by Santa Clara University, in their final tune-up before the Big West Championships on October 31 in Hawaii. They will face several Big West opponents, including Long Beach State and Cal Poly SLO, as well as notable programs outside the conference such as UC Berkeley and Saint Mary's College.
DETAILS
Race 1: Men's 8k College Invitational at 8:45 am
Race 2: Women's 6k College Invitational at 9:30 am
Race 3: Men's 8k Open at 10:15 am
Race 4: Women's 6k Open at 11 am
Location: Baylands Regional Park, Sunnyvale, Calif.
Forecast: Sunny with a high of 78*, winds 5 to 10 mph
How to watch: follow along with timer hub
LAST MEET
The UC Santa Barbara Cross Country squads last crossed the line in Salem, Ore. at the Charles Bowles Invitational, where they had the unique opportunity to compete against teams in the Pacific Northwest.
In their first big invitational of the season, the Gauchos were able to rise above pre-meet expectations, with the women earning a first place team finish and the men finishing third against strong fields that included a top-12 West Region program in Portland.
Zach Parker led the Gauchos on the men's side, crossing the line in the 8k with an impressive time of 23:47.21, earning a fifth-place overall finish and securing his second Big West Athlete of the Week honor of the 2025 season. Parker was closely followed by Parker Simmons, Conrad Voight, Manny Correia, and Will Mulliken, who all delivered strong performances to round out the team's scoring five. The Gauchos finished third overall with 117 points in a competitive field of 31 teams.
On the women's side, Addie Oversmith came out blazing in the 5k, finishing fifth overall in 17:12.70 and continuing to establish herself as a standout competitor in her debut collegiate season. Isabel Ross and Danielle Hollander battled to top-10 finishes, clocking 17:32.20 and 17:38.30 respectively. Jordan Lieberman and Axelle Allanic finished out the scoring lineup, propelling the Gauchos to an impressive first-place team finish with 68 points against a field of 28 teams.
COMING UP
After the Gauchos travel north to Sunnyvale, UCSB will have just under two weeks to recover and polish for the Big West Championships, hosted by University of Hawaii on Oct. 31. The meet, which determines the conference's individual and team champions, will start with the men's 8K race at 7:30 a.m. HT and conclude with the women's 6K race at 8:30 a.m. HT. The awards ceremony will follow at 9:30 a.m. HT.
