University of the Pacific’s cross country programs found their stride this season.

The Pacific women broke school records and captured team titles in one of the program’s most successful seasons, while the newly established men’s team exceeded expectations in its debut year. Both teams competed under the leadership of first-year Head Coach Isaac Wood.

“Starting the men’s program as quickly as we did was a whirlwind, but I’m so grateful for how well the men worked together and supported each other,” Wood said. “The women made huge improvements from last year and beat the most teams the program has ever defeated at the West Coast Conference Championships. We’ll continue to build off this momentum and keep chipping away at the top echelon of our conference.”

Angelina Lione ’28, a biology major, lead the team as Pacific’s top finisher in every race this season.

“This team is just starting to see its potential,” Lione said. “I love seeing everyone’s confidence grow, and I’m excited to see what we can do at regionals.”

Lione broke the school 6K record at the Bronco Invitational with a time of 20:38.4, surpassing the previous mark set in 2019. She placed fourth overall.  

“Breaking the school record was so exciting,” Lione said. “This is just the start of a whole new program. We had several runners make the all-time top-10 list for Pacific, and I’m proud to represent our team and the progress we’ve made.”

The Tigers celebrated two team titles this season. The men captured their first-ever championship at the Big Wave Invitational in Hawaii, while the women won the Pacific Invitational on their home course—their first victory at the event since 2022.

The Tigers exceeded expectations in 2025, but both squads remain want more.

“I think we wanted even more out of the season, and most of the guys would agree,” said Samuel Lanham ’27, a data science major. “That just shows how driven this group is to succeed. For a first-year team that came together in July, beating two conference teams is a great start. We’ve worked hard and built strong chemistry quickly. I think it will show soon, and we’ll rise through the ranks pretty fast.”

Pacific closed its season Nov. 14 at the NCAA West Regional in Sacramento. The women's team placed 27th in the 39-team 6K field, the program's second-highest finish since 2000, when Pacific earned 26th place as a Big West Conference member. The Tigers placed seventh among West Coast Conference schools, defeating Loyola Marymount, Saint Mary's, San Diego, Seattle and Pepperdine.

In their inaugural NCAA West Regional appearance, the men placed 27th place out of the 30-team 10K field. The Tigers finished ahead of West Coast Conference schools Seattle and San Diego.

"I was really pleased with the way the women approached the race," Wood said. "They followed the race plan and ran for each other. It feels great to end the season on a high note and we're looking forward to continually progressing the program and finishing better and better every year."