Cross Country Wins Waves Invite at Team and Individual Levels

Friday, September 4

Malibu, Calif.

9:00 a.m. PT

Pepperdine University

Waves Invitational

Photo by: Rory Christiansen

Cross Country Wins Waves Invite at Team and Individual Levels

9/4/2026 12:41:00 PM | Cross Country

MALIBU, Calif. – Pepperdine cross country began the 2026 season with wins in the men's 6K and women's 4K. Additionally, a Wave was the first to cross the finish line in each event.

"I am extremely proud of our teams," head coach Lauren Floris said. "They both met their goals and opened the season really well. They really set the tone for the rest of the season!"

The men's side essentially ended in a three-way tie, with a trio of Pepperdine runners intentionally crossing together in a display of camaraderie. Dominic Silhol was credited with the win (18:27.7), but Gordy Nilsen (18:27.7) and Elijah Gentry (18:27.8) followed within a tenth of a second.

Two other Waves rounded out the top-five, with Andrew DeYoung (18:52.6) and Rowan Nilsen (18:56.4) finishing fourth and fifth respectively. Earning seventh, eighth, and ninth was a run of freshmen: Christian Weber (19:25.8), Max Tsolakis (19:34.8), and Noah Harris (19:39.5).

As a team, the Waves scored 15 points en route to an event win.

The women's race also saw a strong and victorious showing by Pepperdine. The team racked up 24 points, and half of the top-ten finishes.

From the onset, Lizzy Crawford created separation — one that she would maintain for the entirety of the race. She finished at 13:17.2, giving her the Waves Invite crown in back-to-back years. Her time today was over 24 seconds faster than the runner-up. The rest of the top-ten was a mix of the usual Pepperdine stalwarts, but also first-years demonstrating their talent.

Mia Hodgson earned the bronze in her first collegiate race (13:54.9), with veteran Grace Simpson just behind (14:03.1). Clara Michael debuted with a sixth-place performance (14:15.7), while Jessica Guardino took tenth (14:40.3).

The orange and blue will wait until Sept. 19 for their next competition. They travel east to UC Riverside for the Riverside Invitational.

Pepperdine Men's 6K Finishes
1. Dominic Silhol (18:27.7)
2. Gordy Nilsen (18:27.7)
3. Elijah Gentry (18:27.8)
4. Andrew DeYoung (18:52.6)
5. Rowan Nilsen (18:56.4)
7. Christian Weber (19:25.8)
8. Max Tsolakis (19:34.8)
11. Micah Brighton (19:43.5)
12. Beckett Sullivan (19:56.9)
13. Luke Bremmer (20:08.8)
14. Reed Robinson (20:24.0)
16. Alex Nield (20:47.3)

Pepperdine Women's 4K Finishes
1. Lizzy Crawford (13:17.2)
3. Mia Hodgson (13:54.9)
4. Grace Simpson (14:03.1)
6. Clara Michael (14:15.7)
10. Jessica Guardino (14:40.3)
11. Riley Burgess (14:42.1)
15. Hannah Miller (15:07.3)
16. Presley Pate (15:13.7)
17. Lacey Reedy (15:20.0)
18. Mackenzie Buxton (15:20.3)
19. Renee Skiera (15:31.6)
21. Emma Martinez (15:49.7)
25. Allie Smith (16:01.2)
30. Kennedy Duralde (16:13.4)
35. Avery Smith (16:52.3)
36. Reese Duralde (16:56.7)

Complete results can be found here.

ABOUT PEPPERDINE CROSS COUNTRY/TRACK
The Pepperdine cross country/track program has a rich history dating back to the 1950s with six total individual national championships to come through the program. As one of the original three programs sponsored by then George Pepperdine College in 1937, the Waves immediately began to make a mark on the track world stage with eight total Olympians and multiple regional champions throughout the program's history.

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To stay up-to-date on the latest Pepperdine cross country/track news, follow the Waves on social media @PepperdineXCTR.