PASADENA, Calif. (Aug. 16, 2022) – In the wake of a remarkable season last fall and inspired by unprecedented distance-running success in the track & field campaign last spring, the Caltech cross country team is ready to race into the record books again.
"Nearly everything about last season was new to the scholar-athletes in our program," Head Coach Kelli Blake said. "In addition to 2021 being my first year at the Institute, the team of mostly underclassmen had to adapt to new workouts amid the first fall with athletics since the 2020 shutdown." Despite all these challenges, Blake felt the runners made great strides in building relationships within the program while also striving to give their best individually and collectively.
2021 marked the final cross country season for senior harriers Alex Bardon (Boston, Mass. / Winsor School), Natali Lelieur (South Pasadena, Calif. / South Pasadena), and Jamie Littman (Port Washington, N.Y. / Paul D. Schreiber) of the women's program, and Kellen Rodriguez (Fairmont, Minn. / Fairmont) from the men's team, all of whom helped the Beavers through the fall campaign. With a talented slate of first-years along with Kellen's sister Makena Rodriguez (Fairmont, Minn. / Fairmont) joining as a senior, and graduate student Maria Carilli (Socorro, N.M. / Socorro) complementing the significant ranks of returners, the team is optimistic about its chances come September.
Having posted numerous top individual times, as well as overall team times, the women's program earned an impressive third place finish at the SCIAC Women's Cross Country Championships in Claremont, Calif. The second-fastest effort in program history, the top five finishers averaged 23:33 for a team total of 1:57:47. At the NCAA West Regionals that followed, also in Claremont, graduate student Margaret Trautner (Houston, Texas / MIT) finished 9th with a 6K time of 22:28.4. This third-best finish in Caltech history was enough to qualify Trautner to run in the 2021 NCAA National Championships. Earlier in the fall, Sophia Dalfonzo (Fairhaven, N.J. / Rumson Regional) raced her way to the top of Caltech's women's 5k records with an 18:31.7 time at the UC Riverside Invitational, with Trautner, Isabella Zuniga (San Juan Capistrano, Calif. / San Juan Hills) and Katy Chu (Los Gatos, Calif. / Saint Francis) additionally making the top 10. Trautner and Dalfonzo's success earned them each All-Region and Second Team All-SCIAC honors.
The men's team also shared in positive experiences this past fall, with rookie Rohun Agrawal (Cupertino, Calif. / Monta Vista) leading the way early in the year and spurred on by the sophomore duo of Joey Litvin (Ardmore, Pa. / Lower Merion) and Kyle Lethander (Oakwood, Ohio / Oakwood) to close out the season. Agarwal's new personal best 25:26 8k time from the Master's meet stands out as the second-fastest finish in Caltech history; Litvin's performance the same day ranks sixth-best. After recording the program's third- and fourth-quickest team times on the books, the men finished 7th in the SCIAC Championships and placed 12th of 24 teams at the NCAA Div. III West Regional Championships.
Welcoming the Class of 2026
Steve Garcia
Van Nuys, Calif. / Magnolia Science Academy 1
Named the captain of his school's marathon training team, Garcia brings tremendous endurance to the Beavers with experience running in numerous long-distance races including two marathons and five half-marathons.
Elisa Grillo
Cypress, Texas / Bridgeland
18:52 5k, 11:20 3200, 5:18 1600
Four-time cross country CFISD district team champions (2018-2021)... Three time cross country state qualifier(2018, 2019, 2021)... Two time individual silver medalist CFISD district meet (2019, 2020)
A two-time silver medalist in her high school career, Grillo brings a great deal of championship experience to the squad after winning four district team titles and running in three state championships.
Elyes Serghine
Fremont, Calif. / Mission San Jose
16:47 5k, 1:56 800, 4:41 1600
Sporting a 16:47 personal best 5K time, Serghine looks to build off his successful high season academic and athletic experiences in the Bay Area as he begins his career representing the Beavers.
Virginia Pistilli
Portola Valley, Calif. / Woodside
19:51 5k, 11:55 3200, 5:34 1600
A four-year Scholar Athlete award winner, Pistilli impressed Coach Blake with her healthy attitude towards running. Sporting a 5k personal record of 19:51, her passion for mental health in sports earned her a Most Inspirational distinction and a Teamwork Award in her high school years, and she looks poised to provide much uplift for Caltech on and off the course.
Jake Wolmer
Tenafly, N.J. / Tenafly
16:21 5k, 9:58 3200m
A two-time league champion in cross country and former Athlete of the Year, Wolmer competed in the Ironman 70.3 World Championships and the 2022 USA Triathlon National Championship. He sports a personal best 5K time of 16:21, and his endurance and athleticism will be key additions to the team.
2022 Schedule
The Beavers will start their season during Labor Day weekend on Saturday, Sep. 3 at the Redlands Invitational. The event will feature the host Bulldogs as well as other teams that will be announced at a later date. Start time is set for 8 A.M.
Two weeks later, Caltech will compete in the Riverside Invitational at UC Riverside along with schools from all three NCAA Divisions beginning at 7:30 A.M. on Saturday, September 17.
Wrapping up the month on Saturday, Sep. 24 will be the Cal State San Marcos Cougar Classic featuring a mix of Division II and III programs, starting up at 8:30 A.M.
Caltech's final tune-up of the regular season falls on Saturday, Oct. 8 at 7:45 A.M. at the Pomona-Pitzer Invitational in Claremont. The race will feature the Beavers' SCIAC rivals and other schools to be determined.
The four meets of the regular season will build up to the SCIAC Championships that will take place at Prado Park in Chino, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 29 at 8:30 A.M. The postseason continues beyond Southern California at the NCAA Div. III West Regionals that will be taking place this year in Spokane, Wash. on Saturday, Nov. 12 at 11 A.M. Finally, the NCAA Championships are set for Saturday, Nov. 9 in Lansing, Mich.
Season schedule is subject to change. Find the most current information at GoCaltech.com and follow Caltech Cross Country on Twitter and Instagram
