UCLA
Gans Creek Classic
Cross Country Heads to Missouri for Gans Creek Classic
September 26, 2024 | Cross Country
COLUMBIA, Mo. โ The UCLA cross country team is set to return to action for its second meet of the season โ and first since Aug. 30 in Big Bear, Calif. โ on Friday, Sept. 27ย at the Gans Creek Classic hosted by Missouri.
The competition opens with the Men's 8K Division I Race at 6 a.m. PT, followed by the Women's 6K Division I Race at 6:45 a.m. PT. Open races of the men's 8K and women's 6K follow at 7:30 a.m. PT and 8:15 a.m. PT, respectively.
Besides the Bruins and host Tigers, other schools slated to race include Abilene Christian, Auburn, Baylor, Central Arkansas, Creighton, Eastern Washington, Florida, Georgia Tech, Illinois State, Iowa, Kansas, Kansas City, Kansas State, Kentucky, Lipscomb, Maine, Middle Tennessee State, North Alabama, North Florida, Northern Iowa, Ole Miss, Rice, Saint Louis, Southeastern Missouri, SIU-Edwardsville, South Dakota, Southern Illinois, Southern Indiana, Stanford, Tennessee, Tennessee-Martin, UC San Diego, Valparaiso, and Wichita State.
Results can be tracked HERE.
UCLA is coming off a strong showing in its season-opening, 3.2-mile tri-meet against UC Riverside and UC Santa Barbara. The women placed second overall and had four finishers in the top-nine, including a fourth-place result from Annika Salz (22:15.28). Meanwhile, the mean had two racers in the top-five led by Everett Capelle's 18:27.08.
Big Ten Players to Watch
Prior to the start of the 2024 cross country season, graduate studentย Michael Mirelesย and seniorย Mia Kaneย were named to the Big Ten Cross Country Preseason Players to Watch List. Mireles sat out the 2023 cross country campaign but had a stellar senior season on the track. He broke four minutes in the indoor mile to claim the second-best mark in UCLA indoor track & field history. Mireles also recorded an all-time top 10 mark in the 5000m at Bryan Clay in the spring before claiming a podium placement in the event at the 2023 Pac-12 Championships.
Kane comes off a junior season in which she was UCLA's top runner in four of her five cross country appearances. The senior also claimed UCLA's first Pac-12 Conference individual champion title in the 3000m steeplechase during the 2024 track and field campaign.
2024 UCLA Cross Country Schedule
Friday, Aug. 30 โ Tri-Meet vs. UC Riverside, UC Santa Barbara (Big Bear, Calif.)
Friday, Sept. 27 โ Gans Creek Classic (Columbia, Mo.)
Friday, Oct. 11 โ Bill Dellinger Invite (Eugene, Ore.)
Friday, Nov. 1 โ Big Ten Championships (Champaign, Ill.)
Friday, Nov. 15 โ NCAA West Regional (Colfax, Wash.)
Saturday, Nov. 23 โ NCAA Championships (Madison, Wisc.)
Players Mentioned
