Sights set on PacWest championship titles

Future looks bright after several first place finishes in invitational

The men’s and women’s cross country teams at California Baptist University finished first place Sept. 2 in the Lancer Invite.

Dr. Ben Gall, head coach of the men’s and women’s cross country teams, is getting his runners ready for another season and has to improve both of his teams’ performances from last season.

The men’s team finished in eighth place at the NCAA Division II West Regional Championships while the women’s team finished 26th place at the NCAA Division II championship.

“I feel strong about this season,” Gall said. “I think we’re healthy and we came in from a good summer.”

Gall said he feels content about the results of the team’s first meet as Leanda du Bruyn, junior graphic design major, finished the women’s race with a time of 14 minutes and 19 seconds.

“It was nice to see Leanda win,” Gall said. “It was her first race for us. Our whole team did not compete. We sat a couple of people out.”

Gall also said he hopes to defend conference titles for both the men’s and women’s teams.

“Both teams won the PacWest championships in the last two years,” Gall said. “We expect both teams to win the national championships this year.”

Du Bruyn said she is very excited about the season to come.

“I hope to make regionals,” du Bruyn said. “I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I’m going to do my best.”

Du Bruyn said she did not expect to win the women’s team’s first meet and that she is looking to improve.

“Everyone else is watching what I’m going to do,” du Bruyn said. “Everyone is more serious on me now. I’m looking on going to regionals.”