College of the Canyons has honored freshmen cross country runners Maggie Irwin and Caden Bazo as the Jersey Mike’s Student-Athletes of the Week for September 7-12, 2026. This recognition follows their performances at the Western State Conference Preview meet held September 11 at Edward Vincent Jr. Park in Inglewood, California.
Irwin, from Oxford, Mississippi, placed third individually in the women’s 5K race with a time of 21:53.56. Her strong showing contributed to the College of the Canyons Cougars women’s cross country team securing their third consecutive team victory to start the season. She has finished no lower than sixth place in her first three collegiate races.
Bazo, a freshman from Saugus High School, finished eighth individually in the men’s four-mile race with a time of 23:24.45. He helped the College of the Canyons Cougars men’s cross country team to a third-place finish at the meet. The men’s team has not placed lower than third in any meet this season, with Bazo consistently finishing in the top 10 in all meets.
CSB Take
The accolades for Maggie Irwin and Caden Bazo highlight their immediate impact on College of the Canyons’ cross country programs as the 2026 season progresses. Their consistent top finishes bolster team results and demonstrate promising potential. Maintaining this level of performance could establish both runners as key contributors toward future team successes and conference competitiveness.
Source: Original report
