SANTA CLARITA, Calif. – Runners from across the GSAC met up on Friday as the 2023 GSAC Championship took place from Central Park in Santa Clarita. For the fourth season in a row, Jessup's top-runner earned all-conference honors as she extended her season to the national championship in Washington.
Azalea Prince, who is in her fourth year with the Warriors, finished ninth in the women's 6K, clinching her an All-GSAC selection for the fourth time in her cross country career. Prince posted a time of 22:42, one-second shy of her lifetime PR, which she set on September 1 of this season.
On top of the All-GSAC honors, Prince also secures a trip to the NAIA National Championship in Washington on November 17. It will be Prince's second career nationals appearance in cross country and her fifth all-time.
"Azalea is our first four-time all-conference performer in program history," said head coach
Jeff Magley. "That's an awesome accomplishment to be an all-conference finisher all four years, and this was her highest finish at a GSAC Championship.
Cheyenne Ulrich (24:04),
Elizabeth Shykowski (24:08),
Vivianna Gardea (25:24),
Hailey Hopkins (26:14), and
Jayden Jackson (28:38) were all in the field for the Warriors. Friday was the collegiate cross country debut for Jackson.
The men's race saw the top time come from
Zachary Heberlein as he posted 28:33, putting him 43rd overall in the field.
Xavier Morales (28:36),
Dario Ruscica (30:08),
Ethan Loomis (30:47),
Devon Hammeke (31:49), and
Oscar Duncan Jr. (39:08) round out the field for Jessup in the men's 8K.
Magley noted that a special thank you goes out to the four seniors who competed for the last time on the GSAC stage for Jessup Cross Country: Prince, Gardea, Hopkins, and Morales. All will be back in action when the track season begins in the fall.
"This is a special race to go out on," added Magley. "I can't say enough what these four runners did for our program during their time here."
The Master's University claimed the GSAC Championship once again in both the men's and women's races.
"Hats off to The Master's," added Magley. "Not only for hosting us but for their performance as well. Fourteen championships in a row on the men's side, that's unheard of. Just hats off to their program for the way they perform and conduct themselves at such a high level.
Prince will get two weeks to prepare as the 2023 NAIA Cross Country National Championship kicks off on November 17 from Vancouver, Wash.
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Jessup University is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), and the Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC). For additional information regarding Jessup Athletics, visit www.jessupathletics.com; visit www.jessup.edu for more information on Jessup University. Follow Jessup Athletics on social media: Jessup University Athletics (Facebook) and @JessupAthletics (Twitter & Instagram).
