NCAA West Regional
11/13/2026 2:00:00 PM | Cross Country
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Fifth-year Tatiana Cornejo punched her ticket to the NCAA Cross Country Championships with an historic showing to highlight action for the Mustang cross country program at the NCAA West Regional meet on Friday at Arcade Creek Cross Country Course in Sacramento.
Making her fourth and final appearance at the NCAA West Regional, Cornejo made sure to put on a show in front of her hometown crowd as the Elk Grove, Calif. native (about 15 miles south of Sacramento) crossed the finish line in sixth place with a 6K time of 19:30.6.
The impressive performance allowed the 2026 Big West individual champion to secure an individual ticket to nationals by being one of the top four finishers at the West Regional meet that was not on a team that qualified for the NCAA Championships. This is the second straight year a Mustang on the women’s side has qualified for NCAAs individually with Kelli Gaffney, who transferred to Arizona State over the offseason, making it last fall.
The sixth-place finish is tied for the second-best individual finish ever at the West Regional meet by a Mustang — male or female — and the best since Laura Hollander earned a program record second-place finish at the 2012 meet.
By placing in the top 25 at West Regionals, Cornejo became a three-time USTFCCCA All-West Region honoree — the first three-timer in the history of the women’s cross country program and just the second across the two genders, joining Evan Anderson (2007-09). Cornejo placed 23rd at the 2023 meet and 25th in 2024 to secure All-Region honors.
Led by Cornejo’s performance, the Cal Poly women placed 14th out of 37 scoring teams at the meet (383 points).
Junior Nikki Bridges took 80th (21:11.3), senior Lianna Guerra earned 92nd (21:18.5) and freshman Sydney Middleton secured 101st (21:23.0) in her first regional appearance. Freshman Isabella Ramirez finished 104th (21:24.1), senior Sydney Sundgren 133rd (21:47.4) and freshman Brenna Mannion 185th (22:19.4) to round out the seven runners that competed for the Cal Poly women.
The seven runners that took the start line for the Cal Poly men helped the Mustangs capture 13th out of 30 scoring teams at the meet (362 points).
Senior Rory Catsimanes led the way for the men, placing 62nd with a 10K time of 30:38.3. Senior Dheeraj Gurusamy wasn’t far behind, taking 69th in 30:47.7. Sophomores J.R. Lesher and Miles Cook secured 74th (30:55.4) and 77th (30:59.4) respectively, and freshman Kyle Jakary earned 80th (31:00.8) in his first regional meet. Senior Ethan Miller finished 111th (31:33.0) and freshman Andres Lomeli (31:43.1) 121st out of 212 runners.
As a team, the season is over for the Mustangs, but Cornejo advances on to the NCAA Championships next Saturday, Nov. 21, at LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course in Terre Haute, Indiana. The women’s 6K championship race starts at 7:20 a.m. PST and the meet will be streamed live on ESPNU.
NCAA West Regional
Cal Poly Results
WOMEN’S 6K
INDIVIDUAL RESULTS — 6, Tatiana Cornejo, 19:30.6. 80, Nikki Bridges, 21:11.3. 92, Lianna Guerra, 21:18.5. 101, Sydney Middleton, 21:23.0. 104, Isabella Ramirez, 21:24.1. 133, Sydney Sundgren, 21:47.4. 185, Brenna Mannion, 22:19.4.
MEN’S 10K
INDIVIDUAL RESULTS — 62, Rory Catsimanes, 30:38.3. 69, Dheeraj Gurusamy, 30:47.7. 74, J.R. Lesher, 30:55.4. 77, Miles Cook, 30:59.4. 80, Kyle Jakary, 31:00.8. 111, Ethan Miller, 31:33.0. 121, Andres Lomeli, 31:43.1.
