Cross Country Men and Women Ranked in First Coaches’ Poll

TORRANCE, Calif. --- After two competitions for the El Camino College cross country program, both the men and the women find themselves ranked in the first California Community College Cross Country and Track Coaches' Association Poll.

The women's team is ranked eighth while the men are 11th in the first 5CTCA Poll of the season. The Warriors have competed at the Biola Invitational and the Southern California Regional Preview this season.

Sequoia Gonzales has helped pace the women to their No. 8 ranking as the sophomore has had two stellar outings. At the Biola Invitational, Gonzales placed 15th overall in a field of mixed competition between NCAA Division II, NAIA and community college competitors. She finished the course in 19:08, the second-best time amongst 3C2A runners. She followed that up with a second-place finish at the SoCal Preview at El Dorado Park in Long Beach, Calif., where she posted a time of 18:26.4.

On the men's side, freshman Aaron Cohen has led the Warriors as the top finisher in the first two competitions. At Biola, Cohen posted a time of 27:35 over the five-mile rolling course at Craig Regional Park. He helped lead the Warriors to a sixth-place team finish.

At the SoCal Preview, Cohen was again ECC's top finisher as his time of 20:44.7 was good enough for 21st, leading a freshman-heavy Warriors group to a ninth-place finish in the 27-team field.

The Warriors will return to action on Oct. 7 when they head to the Chaffey Invitational.