RIVERSIDE, Calif. — The No. 16 Stanislaus State women's cross country team delivered a statement race on Saturday morning at the UC Riverside Invitational, powering to a runner-up team finish in the highly competitive 6K Invitational. Against a 24-team field packed with Division I talent, the Warriors stood tall, not only emerging as the top Division II program, but also taking down established D1 squads such as UC Irvine, Sacramento State, Cal Baptist, and Southern Utah.
 
The Warriors averaged an impressive 20:48 for their top five scorers, showing depth, firepower, and consistency. This performance is likely to boost their national ranking and solidify their place among the elite in Division II.
 
Leading the charge, Jacqueline Sanchez-Silva blazed to third place overall in 20:23.1, while All-American Annie Wild stormed to fifth in 20:25.2. With two Warriors in the top five, the momentum carried through the lineup as Stevie Holguin (19th, 20:57), Izzy Soto (26th, 21:01.1), and Nina Furtado (41st, 21:11.3) closed out the scoring. Together, they not only secured the runner-up spot but also knocked off four regionally ranked West Region powers—Point Loma (4th), Biola (5th), Concordia Irvine (8th), and CSU San Marcos (9th).
 
Stan State's depth was on full display, with Bela Moreno (51st), Crystal Hernandez (72nd), Makenzie Kordic (119th), and Valorie Jimenez (120th) all battling through the massive field to add strength to the roster. In the women's 5K Open, the Warriors kept the energy rolling as Bianca Scott raced to sixth in 17:58.5, and Aubrey Webb grabbed 27th in 18:27.7, adding more highlights to a historic day.
 
With this electrifying performance, Stan State showed it's ready to take the next step. All eyes will be on them as they head into their final tune-up at the SF State Invitational (Oct. 10 at Golden Gate Park) before the CCAA Championships (Oct. 24 at Chico State's Bidwell Park).
 
The Warriors are charging fast—and the national polls will have to take notice.