SAN MARCOS, Calif. – Natalie Rodriguez won the 9th Annual Cougar Challenge, guiding the Cal State San Marcos women's cross country team to a second-place finish at Mangrum Track on Saturday morning. The result is Rodriguez's third collegiate victory of the season. Raelyn Werley, Lisa Flora and Cristen Lane joined Rodriguez in the top ten for the Cougars.
 
"Our team did great; we went into (the race) saying let's go have fun, run together, help each other out, and that's what we did," Rodriguez said. "It's great having the opportunity to run on our home course."
 
Cal State San Marcos collected 36 points (1-5-7-10-13) to finish eight points behind National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) No. 2 Biola.
 
Rodriguez ran a 5000-meter personal-best 17:30 to become the fourth Cougar to claim the overall victory in the women's 5000m and the fifth to take home the collegiate crown.
 
"Natalie is amazing, doing great week in and week out," said head coach Steve Scott. "She could have set a school record and course record, but we are working towards (championships) next week."
 
Werley finished fifth with a time of 17:55, the third time she has placed in the top ten this season.

Flora (18:12) and Lane (18:15) collected personal-bests, while finishing seventh and 10th, respectively. Paula Stonehouse (18:24) also ran a personal-best, closing out the scoring for the Cougars with 13th-place finish.
 
On the day, eight Cougars ran personal-bests, including Alicia Villarreal (19:05), Jessica Ferguson (19:23), Sierra Valenzuela (20:16) and Jocelyn Veyna (20:52).
 
Cal State San Marcos will wrap up the season on Saturday, Oct. 22 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Conference Championships at Cucamonga-Guasti Regional Park in Ontario, Calif. The site is the same location as the Cal Poly Pomona CCAA Preview and the Cougars have high expectations.
 
"I'm very confident in the team and I think that we're going to show (the conference) what we've been training for all season," Rodriguez said. "I'm excited, I think they're going to surprise people."

Coach Scott believes the championships will be a stepping stone toward the future. 
 
"I'm hoping for top three and if things go right even higher," Scott said. "Everybody (in the conference) is running extremely well. The competition is great and it is great preparation for next year when it all counts."
 
As Candidacy Year Three members of the CCAA, Cal State San Marcos is not eligible to earn points for the team championship but can earn All-CCAA recognition.
 
WOMEN'S 5K TEAM RESULTS
1. Biola – 28 (2 3 4 8 11 12 14)
2. Cal St. San Marcos – 36 (1 5 7 10 13 15 16)
3. Point Loma – 80 (6 17 18 19 20 21 24)
4. LA Harbor – 123 (9 23 26 32 33 35 37)
5. Soka – 148 (22 27 30 31 38 39 43)
6. San Diego Mesa – 172 925 28 36 41 42)
7. Palomar – 192 (29 34 40 44 45)
 
WOMEN'S 5K INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
(Top 5 Runners + CSUSM Runners)
1. Natalie Rodriguez (Cal St. San Marcos) – 17:30
2. Emily Ransom (Biola) – 17:31
3. Hannah Hunsaker (Biola) – 17:49
4. Lyndee Dawson (Biola) – 17:52
5. Raelyn Werley (Cal St. San Marcos) – 17.55
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7. Lisa Flora (Cal St. San Marcos) – 18:12
10. Cristen Lane (Cal St. San Marcos) – 18:15
13. Paula Stonehouse (Cal St. San Marcos) – 18:24
15. Alyssa Omahen (Cal St. San Marcos) – 18:42
17. Aholibama Velazquez (Cal St. San Marcos) – 18:43
19. Alicia Villarreal (Cal St. San Marcos) – 19:05
31. Jessica Ferguson (Cal St. San Marcos) – 19:23
40. Arianna Garcia-Swantek (Cal St. San Marcos) – 20:04
47. Sierra Valenzuela (Cal St. San Marcos) – 20:16
50. Shelby Eberwein (Cal St. San Marcos) – 20:19
51. Dezirae Soria (Cal St. San Marcos) – 20:24
57. Bridget Cassidy (Cal St. San Marcos) – 20:51
58. Jocelyn Veyna (Cal St. San Marcos) – 20:52