ROCKLIN, Calif. – Zofia Dudek returned to action and led Stanford to nearly a perfect score in the women's race at the Sacramento State Cross Country Invitational at Johnson-Springview Park on Friday.
Dudek made her season debut as the Cardinal placed five in the top six to score 16 points – one from a perfect score – in earning the team victory.
Freshman Robert DiDonato earned his first collegiate victory in the men's race. The Cardinal, with four true freshmen and a graduate transfer, placed second to California, 37-38.
Dudek, a sophomore academically and racing for the first time since the NCAA Cross Country Championships in March, earned her first collegiate victory. She covered the 6-kilometer (3.73-mile) course in 20:47.3, with true freshman Audrey DaDamio second (20:53.0), Christina Aragon third (20:56.2), and freshman Audrey Suarez fourth (20:56.3). Other Stanford top-10 finishers were Lily Flynn in sixth and Grace Connolly, in her season debut, in eighth.
DiDonato ran 24:07.3 over the 8K (4.97-mile) course and was followed by Caleb Boutelle in third (24:44.9). John Lester, the top high school 800-meter runner in the nation in 2021, placed 13th in his first competition in a Stanford singlet.
Stanford's first major race will come Friday, Oct. 15, at Wisconsin's Nuttycombe Invitational.
Robert DiDonato. Photo by Spencer Allen/SportsImageWire.com.
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Sacramento State Invitational
At Johnson-Springview Park
Men (8K, 4.97 miles)
Team leaders: 1, California 37; 2, Stanford 38; 3, Fresno State 67; 4, Academy of Art 112; 5, Cal State East Bay 123.
Winner and Stanford individuals: 1, Robert DiDonato (Stanford) 24:07.3; 3, Caleb Boutelle (Stanford) 24:44.9; 10, Nolan Topper (Stanford) 25:08.0; 11, Nick Feffer (Stanford) 25:09.6; 13, John Lester (Stanford) 25:21.4.
Women (6K, 3.73 miles)
Team leaders: 1, Stanford 16; 2, Sacramento State 83; 3, California 89; 4, Academy of Art 112; 5, Loyola Marymount 119.
Winner and Stanford individuals: 1, Zofia Dudek (Stanford) 20:47.3; 2, Audrey DaDamio (Stanford) 20:53.0; 3, Christina Aragon (Stanford) 20:56.2; 4, Audrey Suarez (Stanford) 20:56.3; 6, Lily Flynn (Stanford) 21:17.0; 8, Grace Connolly (Stanford) 21:29.5; 14, Rebecca Story (Stanford) 21:58.1; 15, Tori Starcher (Stanford) 22:10.3; 27, Aubrey Roberts (Stanford) 22:46.7.