SAN MARCOS, Calif. (Sept. 24, 2022) - The Caltech cross country program participated in its third event of the year on Saturday, taking on 18 women's and 17 men's teams in the 15th Annual Cougar Challenge on the campus of California State University, San Marcos. The women's 6K and the men's 8K event was being run for only the second time on the CSUSM Championship Course, providing a great test for Head Coach Kelli Blake's squad.
 
Collectively, the women's team finished ninth out of 17 teams, with a combined team time of 1:55.57 for the first seven runners. This was the second best finish of the five SCIAC schools participating in the event. Trailing only Pomona-Pitzer from the conference, the Beavers bested CMS, Chapman and La Verne on the day.  Further, the women's overall scoring time/6K average (23:11) was the second fastest in school history.
 
The Beavers top seven female finishers were led by sophomore Sophie Dalfonzo (Fairhaven, N.J. / Rumson Regional) whose finish accounted for 35 points in a time of 22:45.2, averaging 6:06 per mile. Finishing second for the Beavers was grad student Margaret Trautner (Houston, Texas / MIT) who scored 50th overall in the time of 23:07.5. Third, in 53rd position, was grad student Maria Carilli (Socorro, N.M. / Univ. of Colorado Boulder) in 23:11.6 and freshman Gigi Pistilli (Portola Valley, Calif. / Woodside) counted for 61 in the time of 23:23.8. Rounding out the top seven for Caltech at 68 position was junior Katy Chu (Los Gatos, Calif. / Saint Francis) in 23:29.1, freshman Elisa Grillo (Cypress, Texas / Bridgeland) scored 91 in 24:45.9 and senior Lauren Garriques (Lake Forest, Ill. / Lake Forest) tallied 92 points, finishing in 24:50.8.
 
Members of the women's team who finished just outside the top seven included sophomore Isabella Zuniga (San Juan Capistrano, Calif. / San Juan Hills) who scored 106 points, covering the 6K course in 26:23.4, senior Lauren Conger (Tucson, Ariz. / Cornell University) with 107 points in 27:16.5, freshman Frida Moreno (Thousand Oaks, Calif. / Thousand Oaks) who scored 109 with a time of 28:41.3 as well as junior McKena Rodriguez (Fairmont, Minn. / Fairmont) who pointed 112 position in a time of 31:05.4.
 
The Caltech men finished 14th out of the 17 mens teams in the field, and were fourth out of five SCIAC schools represented at the event. The top seven Caltech men finished in a combined 2:18:47, averaging 27:45 over the 8K course.  In the 68 point position overall, the Beavers were led by junior Joey Litvin (Ardmore, Pa. / Lower Merion) whose time of 26:50.7, or an average of 5:24 per mile, set the pace for the Beavers. Litvin was followed by senior Gaurav Phanse (Fremont, Calif. / Dublin) who scored 85, completing the course in 27:37.1. 91 points was earned by sophomore Rohun Agarwal (Cupertino, Calif. / Monta Vista) in 27:57.4, followed by 94 points by sophomore Jonathan Bennett (Englewood, Colo. / Kent Denver) who ran in 28:04.6. The fifth finisher for Caltech was Freshman Jacob Wolmer (Tenafly, N.J. / Tenafly) who completed the race in 28:17.2 good for 98 points, one scoring spot in front of sophomore Miles Jones (San Diego, Calif. / Rancho Bernardo) in 28:17.9. Close to Jones was the seventh finisher for the Caltech men earning 102 points overall, Patrick Martinez (Fullerton, Calif. / Troy) a junior, who ran the course in 28:37.4.
 
Other Caltech men's team members who completed the course but outside the top seven scores included senior Adnan Contractor (Watchung, N.J. / Watchung Hills Regional) in 29:39.2, closely followed by junior Kyle Piper (Lafayette, Calif. Centaurus) who ran in 30:40.4. Piper was followed by senior Julen Lujambio (Middletown, Conn. / Xavier) who ran in 31:03.6. Freshman Elyes Serghine (Fremont, Calif. / Mission San Jose) covered the course in 31:43.6 good for 113 points overall, which scored the same as junior teammate Jordan Ostby (Brea, Calif. / Brea Olinda) who crossed the finish line in 33.06. First year, Steve Garcia (Van Nuys, Calif. / Magnolia Science Academy) finished in a time of 35:41.9.  For complete information about the entire field, please go to: https://www.tfrrs.org/results/xc/20114/Cougar_Challenge_2022#event133498.
 
The Beavers women's and men's teams will be back in action when they participate in the Pomona-Pitzer Invitational, on Saturday, Oct. 8 starting at 7:45 am.