Riverside, Calif. – Coconino Community College’s Breana Biggambler established a fierce 6k school record of 23:20 at the Highlander Invitational hosted by University of California Riverside, as the team took on their biggest competition yet this season.
The comets hit the road and competed at the Highlander Invitational in Riverside, California, where they met a competitive field with over 20 teams consisting of NCAA division I , division II, division III, NAIA, and NJCAA teams. Not only did they take on steep competition but they raced the 6k distance, a distance typically run at the NCAA level, compared to usual 5k distance run at the NJCAA level.
Biggambler finished in 136th place with a strong time of 23:20 (6:15 per mile pace). She was followed by teammate Amber Woody in 25:25, and Sierra Manygoats in 25:48. Ryanna Begay and Janelle Stone were CCC’s 4th and 5th runners in times of 29:54 and 30:26 respectively.
Here’s what Head Coach Craig Hunt had to say about the race, “We came out to Riverside to get out of our comfort zone and challenge ourselves. A race this size, with over 20 teams and 200 individuals, is just what we needed to help simulate our national championships and gain more experience in tough races, and I believe we did exactly that. Performance wise we had 2 school records set, one on the men’s side and another on the women’s side, so hopefully the athletes are leaving with some extra confidence.”
Both the Men’s and Women’s cross country teams will compete next at the NJCAA Region 1 Championships at Heroes Regional Park in Glendale, Arizona on October 28th, hosted by Glendale Community College.
