Cal State LA Golden Eagles men’s cross country team secured second place among nine scoring teams at the UC Riverside Invitational on September 19, 2026, held at the UCR Agricultural Operations Course in Riverside, California.
The Cal Poly Distance Club won the men’s team title with 42 points, while Cal State LA scored 68 points to finish second, and Chapman placed third with 72 points.
Senior Dylan Atwater led the Golden Eagles with a runner-up finish in the men’s eight-kilometer race, completing the course in 25:35.7. He finished three seconds behind unattached individual champion Paul Luevano and was the first finisher representing a scoring team.
Senior Raye Duarte also contributed significantly with a fifth-place finish in 25:42.1, giving Cal State LA two runners in the top five. Other scoring runners include Vincent Corday (19th, 26:54.9), Yahir Giron (29th, 27:18.1), and Conrad Robertson (31st, 27:22.8).
The combined time for the five scoring runners was 2:12:54, averaging 26:35 per runner, with a time gap of just 1:48 between first and fifth Cal State LA finishers. Seven men from the team placed in the top 33 overall, highlighting the squad’s depth.
In the women’s open five-kilometer race, Cal State LA’s women’s cross country team finished 31st out of 32 scoring teams. Junior Mikaela Holguin was the top women’s finisher for the Golden Eagles, placing 79th with a time of 19:06.2.
Cal Poly Pomona won the women’s team championship with 77 points, and unattached runner Kyra Compton took the individual title with a time of 17:21.0.
CSB Take
The Cal State LA Golden Eagles men’s cross country team’s runner-up finish at the UC Riverside Invitational demonstrates strong early-season form, led by Dylan Atwater’s impressive second-place individual effort and solid team depth. This performance builds momentum as they advance through the CCAA Invitational schedule toward conference and national competitions. Meanwhile, the women’s team gains valuable experience to build upon for future meets.
Source: Original report
