SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – The University of San Francisco men's and women's cross country teams kicked off the 2023 season at home, competing in the USF Invitational Friday afternoon at Golden Gate Park.
In the lone home meet of the season, both programs earned top-five team finishes, with the men earning a third-place finish and the women placing fifth.
Ed Buck led the men's team in the 8,000 meters, crossing the finish line in second place out of 169 competitors with a time of 24:13.7.
In the women's 6,000-meter race,
Grace Copeland shined for the Dons in her first-ever USF Invitational. Copeland gained ground in the final 2,000 meters, moved up two spots, and finished in sixth place with a time of 20:53.8.
In her first meet with the team, Nátalie Hluší shined and earned a 13th-place finish with a time of 21:13.2.
The San Francisco triathlon team also had members compete in the meet,
Abby Lotz,
Veronika Divis,
Maddy Perkins, and
Heidi Henry appearing in the women's 6,000 meters.
FINAL RESULTS:
Women's 6,000 meters:
6.
Grace Copeland – 20:53.8
13. Nátalie Hluší – 21:13.2
25.
Christine Albrecht – 21:48.1
56.
Mathilde Valadier – 22:46.0
72.
Marlee Kwasnica – 23:16.4
79.
Lily Mourer – 23:32.1
92.
Kaylee Noda – 23:50.9
95.
Heidi Henry – 23:51.8
108.
Maddy Perkins – 24:30.2
116.
Abby Lotz – 25:10.7
127.
Veronika Divis – 26:51.0
Team Score: 148
Total Time: 1:49:58
Men's 8,000 meters:
2.
Ed Buck – 24:13.7
31.
Ben Preddy – 25:06.1
34.
Daniel Abramowicz – 25:08.7
42.
Danny Skovron – 25:22.8
43.
Marshall Bush – 25:23.4
73.
Will Bujake – 26:04.4
75.
Andy Ixtabalan-Argueta – 26:08.1
76.
Sahil Raj – 26:08.1
101.
Ryan Duncan – 26:41.5
105.
Aaron Ruiz – 26:47.9
108.
Trevor Deane – 26:52.8
Team Score: 97
Total Time: 2:05:15
CATCHING UP WITH COACH TIM RILEY:
"We planned to run a conservative race from the start and executed great. Grace [Copeland] was phenomenal, and she's been working extremely hard to get to this point. Ed [Buck] was working hard all summer, and he's super fit right now … he hasn't lost a step from the end of last season."
UP NEXT:
San Francisco returns to action on Friday, Sept. 15, when it travels north to compete in the Stump Invitational, hosted by UC Davis.
SPONSOR THE DONS:
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.
MERCHANDISE:
Want to dress like the Dons? Get your official San Francisco Dons gear from the University of San Francisco bookstore today! Click
here to purchase.
FOLLOW US:
For more information and updates on
the University of San Francisco men's and women's cross country programs, be sure to follow @donsxctf on Twitter, @donsxctf on Instagram and @donsxctf on Facebook.
