RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Securing its second team title of the regular season, the University of San Francisco men's and women's cross country teams placed first overall at the UC Riverside Invitational Saturday morning at the UCR Ag Ops Course.
 
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

• On the women's side, San Francisco was guided by Jessica Spilsbury, who earned her first individual title as a member of the green and gold at 20:19.0. Spilsbury joins Anna Büttner as the Dons' second individual title winner this season.
• Closing in one second behind Spilsbury, Faustine Chaboche, making her season debut, finished in second place with a time of 20:20.2.
• Poppy Martin secured the Dons' third top-10 finish this morning, crossing in sixth place at 20:35.5. Martin, registering her first-career sub-21-minute 6k, beat her previous best of 21:15.3 set at the Bronco Invitational last season.
• Concluding the scoring for the women was Sophie Connolly (14th – 20:49.6) and Petra Helebrantová (22nd – 20:59.8).
• As a team, the women outpaced high-end opponents, defeating California Baptist, the 12th-ranked team in the West Region, and Division II nationally ranked Stanislaus State.
• Herbie Johnson nearly secured the overall title on the men's side as he finished in second place with a time of 23:35.6. Improving from his first-ever meet at the USF Invitational, Johnson surpassed his previous best in the 8k by nearly a whole second.
• San Francisco secured three more top-10 finishes with Zach Elam (fifth – 23:45.2), Ethan O'Shea (eighth – 23:53.7), and Daniel Abramowicz (ninth – 23:55.2), helping guide the Dons to victory.
• Luca Minale capped off the scoring for the men with a 15th place finish with a time of 24:10.2

TOP FINISHERS:

Men:
2. Herbie Johnson – 23:35.6
5. Zach Elam – 23:45.2
8. Ethan O'Shea – 23:53.7
9. Daniel Abramowicz – 23:55.2
15. Luca Minale – 24:10.2
 
Women:
1. Jessica Spilsbury – 20:19.0
2. Faustine Chaboche – 20:20.2
5. Poppy Martin – 20:35.5
14. Sophie Connolly – 20:49.6
22. Petra Helebrantová – 20:59.8
 
UP NEXT:
San Francisco returns to the Bay Area on Friday, Oct. 10, when it competes in the SF State Invitational at Golden Gate Park.
 
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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.