Canyons Cross Country Hits Course Aug. 31

College of the Canyons cross country will begin the 2018 campaign by running in the season-opening Ventura College Invitational on Friday, Aug. 31.

The day's events will begin at 3 p.m. at Arroyo Verde Park in Ventura, and include both a men's and women's course.

The action continues the following week at the annual Oxnard College Invitational on Friday Sept. 7. That event, which includes a course that wraps through the Oxnard campus, will begin at 10 a.m. Last season, COC's women's team won the event, while the men's squad finished fourth.

Canyons then competes at the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) Southern California Preview on Friday, Sept. 14. This year's SoCal Preview and Championship events will be hosted by Cerritos College at Don Knabe Community Regional Park in Cerritos.

The Cougars will not host a home cross country event in 2018.

A full 2018 schedule is here.

A Look Back: 2017 Cougars Cross County

COC cross country was once again represented at the CCCAA State Championship meet in Fresno after another successful season for head coach Lindie Kane's squads.

The COC women's team started the year with a first place run at the season-opening Oxnard Invitational before finishing as runner up in the Western State Conference (WSC) and seeing five runners earn all-conference honors. Canyons went on to place sixth at the CCCAA Southern California Championships hosted by COC at Central Park.

At the state meet, sophomore Díani Ellis capped a remarkable Cougar career by establishing a new school-record time of 18:32.1 on the 5K course at Woodward Park to place fifth overall and earn JC All-American honors. At season's end, Ellis and sophomore Stephanie Martinez both committed to continue running at San Francisco State University. 

COC's men's squad did not compete as a team in Fresno but instead saw sophomores Garrett Noltemeyer and Cody Roelofson run for the Cougars. Earlier in the season, Canyons placed 19th in Southern California and seventh in the WSC, with three runners earning all-conference accolades.  

Stay up to date on all this season's action by following the College of the Canyons Athletic department on social media at @COCathletics on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.

Photo by Mike Whitman/COC Sports Information