Gaucho Twilight
Cross Country Opens Season Friday at Gaucho Twilight
9/19/2025 10:00:00 AM | Cross Country
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — The Cal Poly cross country program begins its quest for an historic fourth straight Big West Championship sweep this Friday at the Gaucho Twilight.
Racing from The Mission Club in Lompoc, Calif. begins at 5:40 p.m. Friday with the men’s 8K, followed by the women’s 6K at 6:20 p.m. The meet, hosted by UC Santa Barbara, will serve as the season opener for the Mustangs. Cal Poly will encounter runners from Big West foes UCSB and Cal State Bakersfield, Cuesta College and the women will also battle San Diego State.
The Mustangs have swept the Big West men’s and women’s team titles the last three years and are seeking a feat no other school in Big West history has achieved this fall — a fourth straight sweep of the Big West Championships.
The men return four runners from last year’s Big West Championship team — All-Big West honorees Rory Catsimanes and Michael Chambers, and Bryce Kueker and Lewis Westwood. The Cal Poly women also bring back four members of their 2024 championship squad — redshirt senior Isabel Sanchez, juniors Kelli Gaffney and Sydney Sundgren, and sophomore Renae Searls.
At the Gaucho Twilight, 19 runners — 11 women, eight men — are expected to compete in uniform, while five are planning to run unattached.
Following the conclusion of their season-opening meet, the Mustangs will get two weeks to prepare before traveling to Chicago to compete in the Sean Earl Lakefront Invitational hosted by Loyola University Chicago on Friday, Oct. 3.
Gaucho Twilight Entries
MEN
Competing for Cal Poly: Tyler Downs, Ibzan Felix, Micah Grossman, Dheeraj Gurusamy, Micah Sanchez, Eddie Sion, Carson Smith, Lewis Westwood.
Unattached: Tyler Daillak, Devin Ibarra, J.R. Lesher, Liam Miller.
WOMEN
Competing for Cal Poly: Nikki Bridges, Lexi Conley, Melisse Djomby Enyawe, Ella Echsner, Kelli Gaffney, Lianna Guerra, Ashlyn Leath, Sami Patel, Renae Searls, Nina St. John, Sydney Sundgren.
Unattached: Mackenzie Hack.
