Women’s Cross Country | August 31, 2023
The USC women’s cross country team will open up the 2023 season at the LMU South Bay Twilight Meet (6K) at Charles H. Wilson Park in Torrance, Calif. at 7:45p.m. on Friday (Sept. 1).
The Trojans have revamped their roster adding eight new runners, including graduate transfers Leah Disher, Marina Soares, Marne Sullivan and Tracy Towns, sophomore transfer Lucia Rabolli and freshmen Marjourie Lopez, Haley Spoden and Angelina Vasquez. The Trojan returners are senior Alyssa Blockburger, redshirt sophomore Jacqueline Duarte, sophomore Liyat Kebbede and juniors Gigi Maccagnini and Giovanna Pisano.
“One of the things I wanted to make sure we have this year is some experience and leadership and to continue to keep evolving the culture to the standards of what USC is,” said USC Associate Head Coach of Cross Country and Assistant Track & Field Coach Jebreh Harris. “We did that with four graduate transfers, a transfer and three freshmen. Also, the returning athletes who have been in the system for a few years, understand their responsibilities, the standards of USC. Having their leadership is vital. You have a combination of the USC standards and growth from the returning athletes, and you have the experience of the graduate transfers and incoming transfer. That helps built the culture, but also very important is the leadership.”
The Trojans expected to compete in the season opener on Friday are: Alyssa Blockburger, Leah Disher, Jacqueline Duarte, Marjourie Lopez, Gigi Maccagnini, Lucia Rabolli, Marina Soares, Haley Spoden, Marne Sullivan, Tracy Towns and Angelina Vasquez. The only two athletes currently on the cross country roster not scheduled to compete this week are team captain Giovanna Pisano and Liyat Kebbede..
“The main thing I’m looking for from this meet is that the team is working together and learning how to compete,” added Harris. “The first meets in any season are always a little rough because you don’t know where you are (as a team). Taking that first step in competition, learning each other and learning to work with each other is important. In cross country you need all the athletes on the same page, learning to work with each other and to build upon what we are working on in training.”
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