2015 Pacific West Conference Championships - Men | Women

RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Senior Valentin Pepiot began his postseason quest in style on Saturday morning, winning the Pacific West Conference Championship individual title to lead ART U cross country to second place as a team.

Out at the Riverside City Cross Country Course bright and early, three Urban Knights, Pepiot and graduate students Pierre Fontanarosa and Kris Everett, placed in the top seven to guide Academy of Art to its second consecutive qualification to NCAA Regionals. On the women's side, both sophomore McKaela Christenson and junior Kaelyn Harbison earned All-PacWest Team honors as well, leading Academy of Art to fourth place as a team.

"It has been a pleasure to watch our guys come together the past few weeks," said director of track & field/cross country Torrey Olson. "Two of our men, Kris Everett and Pierre Fontanarosa, had breakthrough performances at just the right moment. Val, our leader all season, was there guiding them through. It was wonderful to witness our teamwork coming together on the course. I am excited to see these seven men build on this performance heading to Regionals."

Delivering performances all worthy of All-PacWest First Team honors, Pepiot, Fontanarosa, and Everett were an unmatched force in Saturday's 8k race. Pepiot averaged a 4:55.7 mile en route to his indivudial championship which he won by more than six seconds. His final mark of 24:29.73 was also well over 30 seconds better than his previous result at last year's PacWest Championship meet. Pepiot becomes the first Urban Knight to win the title since Amos Maru closed his collegiate career with the honor in 2011.

"Today was a great day for the men's team," said Pepiot. "It was the first time of the year I felt my teammates in a race and it made me feel great. Since the beginning of the year, I was thinking about winning this race so to achieve that was so wonderful for me, my team, and my coach. I'm super happy that Pierre and Kris did very well today and I'm very excited to run in Regionals in two weeks."

Fontanarosa ran his best race of the season to finish third overall with a time of 24:37.9. That performance was over 10 seconds better than a pair from Azusa Pacific and came with the Frenchman averaging under a five-minute mile (4:57.3) as well. Everett provided a third strong race, finishing seventh overall at 25:13.40 to eclipse California Baptist's third qualifier. The race was also Everett's season-best.

In support of the top three, Academy of Art had freshman Phillip Kruse claim 29th individually with a season-low time of 26:11.44 while sophomore Chris Costa crossed the finish line in 36th (26:28.72) to round out ART U's scoring runners.

Though the Knights made a strong push for the team title, it was California Baptist who once again stood hoisted the trophy. The Lancers ended up posting a collective time that was just under 40 seconds better than ART U. Academy of Art did, however, top third-place Azusa Pacific by more than 40 seconds as well.

For the women, Christenson and Harbison continued to serve as that one-two punch for Academy of Art. Averaging miles under 6:02, the tandem took 13th and 18th respectively with Christenson an All-PacWest Second Team honoree after her 6k season-best 22:04.8. Harbison finished as a member of the All-PacWest Third Team with a time of 22:27.8.

"Our women's team didn't accomplish what we had hoped for today," said Olson. "That is the sport. Our job is to keep our heads up and learn from the experience. I am proud of these women lucky to coach them."

Freshman Giulia McIsaac offered a season-best 22:49.48 for 23rd individually and finished as the seventh highest first-year runner. She was followed closely by senior Elizabeth Khuu who went 22:56.92 for a 25th place result. Freshman Emma Johnson closed out the Urban Knights' top five, taking 37th (23:37.78).

The women's race was won by Azusa Pacific's Eileen Stressling, however, California Baptist defended its PacWest Conference team title, edging APU by just over one minute. Academy of Art was fourth overall behind Point Loma by one minute and a half, but ahead of Hawaii Pacific and Fresno Pacific by over 30 seconds.

For the nine Urban Knights who will continue their postseason, NCAA DII West Regionals will take place on Nov. 7 at the Ash Creek Preserve in Monmouth, Oregon, a course ART U saw earlier this year.