April 19, 2024

OC Sports Zone: Community First

Concordia women’s cross country team earns No. 6 regional ranking

Concordia runners (left to right) Madison Templeman, Adriana Gil, Sara Feitz, Hayley Killion and Porsche Eismann run at the Mark Covert Classic. (Photo courtesy Ben Rosehart, Concordia sports information)

Concordia University Irvine’s women’s cross country team enters October with its highest regional ranking ever in program history.

On Tuesday, the CUI women were ranked No. 6 in the regional rankings. The Eagles had previously held the No. 7 spot for back-to-back weeks.

This marks the fourth straight week that the Eagles came in as a Top 10 team in the region.

Jori Paradis was also recently named the PacWest Women’s Cross Country Runner of the Week. A number of freshmen including Keryn Casteel from Ontario and and El Toro High product Madison Templeman.  

Hayley Killion (Yorba Linda High School) and Katelyn Wilson (Esperanza High School) also have emerged as key contributors along with Ocean View alum Adriana Gil and Fountain Valley alum Maddie Jahshan.

Both CUI cross country teams are sending runners to the Chicago area to compete in the Lewis Invitational this Saturday, Oct. 9.  It will be an exciting challenge for the Eagles as there will be 28 different teams from 16 states competing in Romeoville, Illinois.

The CUI women’s cross country team will measure up against 11 nationally-ranked squads and is one of 13 regionally ranked teams along with PacWest rivals from Biola.  Other NCAA DII teams making the trip from the West Coast are Cal State San Marcos and Western Oregon.

There will also be eight nationally-ranked men’s cross country teams and six more regionally-ranked squads competing on Saturday.

—Courtesy Concordia sports information