Pepperdine University
UC Irvine Invitational
Smith, Wishard Pace Pepperdine at UCI Invite
9/12/2009 12:00:00 AM | Cross Country
MALIBU, Calif. - Pepperdine junior Chelsea Wishard (Lawai, Hawai'i/Kauai HS) finished eighth in her season debut at the Asics/UC Irvine Collegiate and Open Cross Country Invitational Saturday morning at the Anteater Recreation Center.
Wishard completed the 5K run in 17:53.70, which extended her Pepperdine winning streak to nine dating back to last season. She also shaved close to 30 seconds off last year's 12th-place UCI Invite time of 18:22.50.
"Chelsea ran a super race after almost a year without competitions," head coach Robert Radnoti said. "She is one tough cookie and a real leader on the team."
Sophomore Lauren Lodge (Hopkinton, Mass./Hopkinton HS) was next to cross for Pepperdine, posting a 17th-place time of 18:16.80 as the Waves finished 10th overall with a team score of 218 points.
Another sophomore Kenny Smith (Willits, Calif./Willits HS) led Pepperdine's men's team to the finish line for the first time in his career, coming in 28th place with an 8K time of 26:00.30.
Smith's time, which was over a minute faster than last year's 44th-place showing, provided him with the best overall finish of his collegiate career in a meet of this size that featured more than 200 competitors.
Smith's best Pepperdine finish prior to Saturday had been third place at the 2008 Stanford Invitational, and at last week's season opener at the Malibu Oceanside Open, he challenged junior team co-captain Conrad Wozniak (Irvine, Calif./Woodbridge HS) for first place down the stretch but finished a second behind.
"Kenny stepped up into Division I running today and led our team," Radnoti said. "I am so proud of how far Kenny has come in a year here at Pepperdine. This is what we coach for, seeing big improvements."
Freshman Wesley Blundell (Brush Prairie, Wash./Prairie HS) was second for the Waves at Irvine in 26:40.60 and Wozniak rounded out the top three with his mark of 26:52.20.
The Pepperdine men's team finished seventh of 14 clubs with 230 points.
The Wave cross country teams return to action Sept. 19 at the UC Riverside Invitational, which kicks off at 7:30 a.m.
Chelsea ran a super race after almost a year without competitions. She is one tough cookie and a real leader on the team!
Kenny stepped up into Division I running today and led our team. I am so proud of how far Kenny has come in a year here at Pepperdine. This is what we coach for - big improvements.
