Cross country traveled to Woodward Park in Fresno, California for the PacWest championships Friday morning and made history for Biola Athletics. The men’s team came out on top with a total time of 2:06:44 to win the school’s first ever PacWest championship, and the women also had a podium finish by placing third overall.

Junior Gabe Plendcio finished in first place to win the individual title with a time of 24:43:8 in the men’s 8k, and four other Eagles placed within the top 15 to help Biola win by 25 points. Sophomore Giovanni Orellana finished in seventh place with a time of 5:05:7.

Sophomore Angel Escobar finished in 11th place with a time of 5:08:2. Freshman Jared Donnel finished in 13th place with a time of 5:08:4, and freshman Brady DeHaven finished in 14th place with a time of 5:08:9.

Biola’s women came out of the 6k race with a total time of 1:55:00, placing them in third place overall behind first place Point Loma Nazarene University and runner up Azusa Pacific University. Sophomore Mackenna Mason finished in sixth place with a total time of 22:21:0, and senior Emily Ransom finished with a time of 22:49:9.

Freshman Clara Haynes and Junior Amanda Reyes both finished within the top 20. Haynes finished with a time of 6:09:8 and Reyes finished with a time of 6:12:5.

The Eagles will return to action on Nov. 10th at the NCCAA Championships in Point Lookout, Missouri. The men’s cross country team looks to win its second straight NCCAA title this weekend.