Sean Earl Lakefront Invitational
Bove, Cal Poly Men Shine at Lakefront Invitational in Chicago
10/4/2024 3:00:00 PM | Cross Country
CHICAGO, Ill. — Highlighted by a stellar performance from graduate student Davis Bove in his season debut and the Mustang men’s team as a whole, the Cal Poly cross country program competed in the Sean Earl Lakefront Invitational hosted by Loyola University Chicago on Friday.
While racing at the Sydney R. Marovitz Golf Course on the shore of Lake Michigan, the Cal Poly men captured fourth as a team, while the women brought home an 11th-place finish.
The Mustang men ended the day with 165 team points, only finished behind three ranked teams at the meet — No. 10 Alabama (second), No. 14 Butler (third) and No. 18 Wisconsin (first). Cal Poly finished with the same exact same team points (165) as Loyola Chicago, but won the head-to-head tiebreaker against the Ramblers.
Bove led the way for the men and made quite the splash in his first action of the season. The Franklin, Tenn. native placed sixth overall in the men’s championship race, running a blistering 8K personal best of 22:56.41. Last cross country season in his first year as a Mustang, Bove ran away with the Big West individual title and was crowned Big West Men's Cross Country Athlete of the Year, leading the Mustangs to their second straight conference sweep. He went on to finish eighth at the NCAA West Regional — tied for the second-highest individual finish by a Mustang man at the meet in program history — to qualify for the NCAA Championships. He looks primed to build off that performance this fall in his final season of collegiate eligibility.
Sophomore Chris Caudillo, the 2023 Big West Men’s XC Freshman of the Year, was the next Mustang to cross the finish line, earning 29th with an 8K personal best (23:48.64). Redshirt junior Aidan McCarthy, a 2023 First Team All-American in the 800-meter, made his season debut as well, securing 34th (23:52.17). It was McCarthy’s first action since posting a time of 3:56.09 in the indoor mile at the Boston University Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener on Dec. 2, 2023. McCarthy missed the entire outdoor track season in 2024 due to injury.
Redshirt freshman Rory Catsimanes took 43rd (23:59.98) and senior Colton Swinth placed 53rd (24:12.95). Senior Anthony Guerra grabbed a 59th-place finish (24:16.66) in his season debut and redshirt junior Michael Chambers captured 62nd (24:17.09) to round out the top seven finishers for the Mustangs. Redshirt junior Bryce Kueker (72nd) and redshirt sophomore Lewis Westwood (110th) also competed for the men.
Our men brought it today in Chicago ??
— Cal Poly TF/XC (@CalPolyTrack_XC) October 4, 2024
Cal Poly secured fourth at the Lakefront Invitational, only finishing behind three teams ranked in the top 18 nationally! In his season debut, Davis Bove paced the Mustangs with a stellar 8K PR and a sixth-place finish ??#RideHigh???? pic.twitter.com/udO5yn7ftO
On the women’s side, Cal Poly placed 11th out of 16 teams while battling some stiff competition, including four ranked squads — No. 1 NC State, No. 10 Wisconsin, No. 15 Alabama and No. 29 Texas. The Mustangs finished ahead of the only other Big West team that took part in the meet, placing 18 points in front of 12th-place UC Davis.
For the second straight meet, junior Tatiana Cornejo paced the Mustangs with a 27th-place finish (20:23.42). Last year, the Elk Grove, Calif. native earned USTFCCCA All-West Region honors by placing 23rd at the NCAA West Regional meet.
Making her season debut, senior Schuyler Gooley was the next Mustang to finish, securing 39th (20:36.81). It was Gooley’s first race since competing in the 2023 NCAA West Regional.
Redshirt junior Isabel Sanchez snagged a 65th-place result (21:03.03) and senior Hana Catsimanes grabbed 75th in her season debut (21:08.08). Redshirt sophomore Sophia Nordenholz took 79th (21:12.10), sophomore Kelli Gaffney earned 106th (21:29.48) and junior Riley Cash (114th, 21:37.14) was Cal Poly’s seventh finisher. Senior Ellie Baxter, sophomore Sydney Sundgren and freshman Melisse Djomby Enyawe also raced in the invite.
Results for our women in the Windy City ??
— Cal Poly TF/XC (@CalPolyTrack_XC) October 4, 2024
Three runners made their season debut as the Mustangs placed 11th at the Lakefront Invitational, finishing one spot in front of Big West foe UC Davis. Junior Tatiana Cornejo and senior Schuyler Gooley led the way ??#RideHigh???? pic.twitter.com/2Ysv57k5Qn
The rest of the Cal Poly runners in action this week are set to compete in The Master’s Invitational on Saturday in Santa Clarita with racing starting at 8 a.m.
The Mustangs will now prepare for their final action before competing in the Big West Championships, splitting the team between two meets on Saturday, Oct. 19 — the NCAA Pre-Nationals hosted by Wisconsin and the Bronco Invitational hosted by Santa Clara.
45th Sean Earl Lakefront Invitational Results
Cal Poly Men | 8K Championship
6, Davis Bove, 22:56.41.
29, Chris Caudillo, 23:48.64.
34, Aidan McCarthy, 23:52.17.
43, Rory Catsimanes, 23:59.98.
53, Colton Swinth, 24:12.95.
59, Anthony Guerra, 24:16.66.
62, Michael Chambers, 24:17.09.
72, Bryce Kueker, 24:19.78.
110, Lewis Westwood, 25:06.81.
Cal Poly Women | 6K Championship
27, Tatiana Cornejo, 20:23.42.
39, Schuyler Gooley, 20:36.81.
65, Isabel Sanchez, 21:03.03.
75, Hana Catsimanes, 21:08.08.
79, Sophia Nordenholz, 21:12.10.
106, Kelli Gaffney, 21:29.48.
114, Riley Cash, 21:37.14.
115, Sydney Sundgren, 21:37.18.
125, Ellie Baxter, 21:51.02.
139, Melisse Djomby Enyawe, 22:38.29.
