SAN DIEGO – San Diego State cross country continues their 2022 season at the Joe Piane - Notre Dame Invitational, held on the campus of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana on Friday morning. The team will compete in a 5K at 1:30 p.m. ET (10:30 a.m. PT) in the Gold Division.
Slated to run for SDSU: Vanessa Cabello, Amber Elias, Lauren Harper, Jessica Kain, Taylor Lustyan, Nicole Meyer, Maddy Parrone, Bella Peretti.
Coach Lusitana's Take: "The Gold Division race presents a great opportunity for us to compete against high-level competition. There will be some very solid squads competing on Friday morning. The entire team will need to compete and stay focused for the full 5,000 meters. The Aztecs are ready to compete at a high-level again this weekend."
Aztec Storylines
• San Diego State opened their 2022 season at the Anteater Opener on Thursday Sept. 4.
• In the season opener four Aztecs made their collegiate debuts, and three runners ran faster than they did during the 2021 edition of the Anteater Opener.
• Jessica Kain paced the Aztecs, finishing in 14:12.0 which was good for fifth place overall. Kain's time was 10 seconds better than the mark she recorded at this event last year.
• Kain followed up her strong performance in the opening race of the season with another strog outing at the Uc Riverside Invitational. She ran an Aztec course record at the UC Riverside Invitational, running 20:46.5 to set a new record on the course.
• Additionally, the Aztecs finished ahead multiple power five schools on their way to a 14th place showing at the UC Riverisde Invitational. The Aztecs finished in front of the likes of CAL, USC, and Arizona State.
• SDSU competed in nine meets during the 2021 season, and earned four top five finishes throughout the season. The Aztecs finished in second at the Dave Murray Invitational, third at the Anteater Opener, fourth at the Stump Invitational, and fifth at the Highlander Invitational.
• The Aztecs finished off the 2021 season strongly, finishing in 23rd at the NCAA West Regionals, their highest finish at the event since the 2005 season.
• Eight athletes return for the 2022 season, including three of the Aztecs top five consistent scorers from last season in Jessica Kain, Nicole Meyer, and Lauren Harper.
• Jessica Kain, who was the Aztecs top runner in three different meets during the 2021 season, returns for her senior season.
• The Aztecs have added five freshmen to the roster for the 2022 season, four are from the state of California, and Zala Sekavcnik is from Slovenia.