SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. -- The West Coast Conference announced on Tuesday morning that Dons sophomore Kira Gupta Baltazar was named the WCC Women's Runner of the Week after she took home first place in the 6,000 meter run at the 2022 SF State Invitational last Friday in Golden Gate Park. Gupta Baltazar took the lead early in Friday's race and didn't relent as she easily earned the individual victory with a time of 21:13.7. 

It was just the second ever cross country race at the NCAA level for Gupta Baltazar, who's the reigning individual triathlon national champion which she earned last November competing for the Dons. 

Her first event of the 2022 cross country season was the Dons' season opening home meet for the USF Invitational at Golden Gate Park in the first weekend of September. Gupta Baltazar placed 29th overall competing against some of the top teams in the West with a time of 22:07.5. 

This marks the third time a Dons cross country student-athlete was voted runner of the week this season, as Ruby Smee took home the award following the first meet of the year. Ed Buck took him the prize after his tremendous performance at the Notre Dame Invitational two weeks ago. 

2022 WCC Women's Runners of the Week:
September 6: Ruby Smee, San Francisco
September 13: Kristen Garcia, Gonzaga
September 20: Megan LaCamera, Pepperdine
September 27: Laura Pellicoro, Portland
October 3: Rayna Stanziano, Saint Mary's
October 10: Kira Gupta Baltazar, San Francisco 

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The University of San Francisco Athletics Department would like to acknowledge and thank our primary sponsor - Provident Credit Union - for their continued support of USF Athletics. Interested in sponsoring the Dons? Please contact Frank Allocco, the Executive Senior Associate Athletics Director of External Relations, at fallocco@usfca.edu or at (415) 422-4561.