2024 SF State Invitational Results

SAN FRANCISCO – Competing in its own back yard of Golden Gate Park on Friday afternoon, Academy of Art cross country saw senior Grace Southern, of the seventh place ART U women, take fifth out of a 6k race that featured over 100 runners while freshman Ethan Forbes guided the men to eighth at the SF State Invitational.

Out in front for ART U for the fourth consecutive race to open the season, Southern battled with NCAA Division I competitors from Sacramento State and San Jose State as well as a group from Stanislaus State, ultimately ending the 6k race in fifth at 21:49.2. Behind her, graduate student Lina Hanich was just over a minute back at 22:52.1 in 22nd overall while senior Michaela Andrews placed 50th (39 points toward team score), going 24:03.1 across the finish line. Sophomore Toni-Ann Lindsay posted a time of 31:59.0 in 91st (59 points toward team score) and senior Erine Collard went 32:40.4 for 93rd (61 points toward team score).

The Urban Knights collectively placed seventh (186) ahead of the host Gators (210) as well as fellow Pacific West Conference members Dominican (286) and Jessup (287). Meanwhile, Stanislaus State (33) claimed the team title led by the duo of Jacqueline Sanchez (21:28.0) and Annie Wild (21:31.4) who placed second and third behind Sacramento State's Tia Oliver (21:19.7).

The men were led by freshman Ethan Forbes for the second straight 8k race to start his collegiate career as he took 40th overall (33 points toward team score) with a time of 26:48.6. Fellow freshman Bethwel Kibet placed 65th (48 points toward team score) at 28:07.6 while junior Vaughn Lacour went 28:38.3 to take 73rd (52 points toward team score). Junior Taj-Leon Wisdom's 32:11.3 in 100th (65 points toward team score) and graduate student Shareez Hamm's 37:04.6 in 112th (72 points toward team score) rounded out the qualifiers for ART U.

As a team, Academy of Art finished eighth (270) in front of Cal Maritime (288), Dominican (289), Jessup (309), and Pacific Union (330). Stanislaus State's Tanner Gerhart (25:05.1) secured first overall with four of his teammates among the top 10 to power the Warriors to first overall (24).

In the Urban Knights' final tune-up before the Pacific West Conference Championships later this month, ART U will contest Santa Clara's Bronco Invitational on Oct. 19 in Sunnyvale.