By The Long Beach State cross country team competed in the Big West Conference Championships Saturday. Freshman Tyler Spencer recorded the fastest time (24:50.5) of any Long Beach runner at the Championships since 2013. He was also the fastest freshman in the conference.
Spencer achieved his goal of finishing in the top 10 with an eighth place finish. He set his second personal record in four meets this season, and helped the 49ers obtain fifth place as a team at the conference championships.
“I just wanted to come out and compete for my team and it ended up better than I expected so that was cool,” Spencer said via LBSU Athletics.
Until Saturday, no male or female 49er had finished in the top 10 in any meet this season. Spencer is now tied with senior Trevor Stangle (25:46.8, 25th place) with two team-best finishes this year, an impressive feat for a freshman
The 49ers came in 7th overall in the 6K women’s race, led by sophomore Mauren Fitzsimmons (22:54.1, 26th place). It was the first time this year Fitzsimmons led the 49ers in a meet. Senior captain Mikayla Florez (23:37.7, 42nd place) was the second team member to finish, despite recovering from a stress fracture in her right shin.
“She’s been biking twice a day, doing everything she can to stay sharp,” head coach Shawn Winget said before the race.
Florez finished 14th in the conference championships last year.
Freshman Sofia Ramos (26:11.8, 76th place) finished second to last in the women’s race. She was one of seven Long Beach runners who had never run in the conference championships before, making Saturday’s race a learning experience for a young squad.
Long Beach will race again Nov. 9th in the NCAA western regional in Sacramento.
