Results

OAKLAND, Calif. - A tremendous team effort enabled the Pioneer women's cross country team to capture the Mills Invitational on September 15.

The Pioneers competed in the 10-team field, the largest in Mills Invitational history, and defeated CCAA opponents Sonoma State and Cal State Monterey Bay to claim the team title. East Bay finished with 55 points, 12 better than Cal State Monterey Bay.

Robinea McClinton took the early lead as she outran the field through the first mile, but her fast start proved costly as she couldn't maintain her pace and would eventually fall back to fourth place overall out of college runners and fifth place overall. McClinton completed the 6k course in 25:25. Pioneer assistant coach Maija Hitchings took 3rd place individually.

McClinton was closely followed by a quartet of Pioneers as Celina Vera (26:23,9th), Imani Heath (26:39, 10th), Vanessa Mares (26:53, 11th) and Amanda McNabb (27.20, 20th) finished in the top 20 to help the Pioneers score the lowest point total of the meet for the team victory. Tiffany Duffy (27:55, 30th), Nastassia Hamor (28:55, 38th) and Julia Wilson (29:19, 43rd) rounded out the Pioneers impressive performance.

"This was a good early test and although the times were slow, our ladies did what we asked them to do, and that was WIN the meet as a team,” Pioneer coach Ralph Jones said. “The race course changed from last year, so our athletes got a little confused out there, but we held it together and figured it out. We had two conference opponents in this race and were beat by one of them in the first meet, so it was important for us to come out here today and run to our capabilities. My staff and I have been working hard trying to get the athletes to work together as a team and run cohesively, we are learning and getting better every day.”

The Pioneers will take a week off before returning to competition September 29th to represent CSUEB at the prestigious Stanford Invitational.