CSUN Opens 2026 Cross Country Season at Kim Duyst Twilight

Saturday, September 12

Turlock, CA

California State University at Northridge

Kim Duyst Twilight

Photo by: Jacob Yadao

CSUN Opens 2026 Cross Country Season at Kim Duyst Twilight

9/11/2026 11:24:00 AM | Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country

TURLOCK, Calif. --- CSUN kicks off its 53rd season of men's cross country and 50th season of women's cross country as both squads are headed to Turlock, Calif. to compete in the Kim Duyst Twilight hosted by Stanislaus State at the River Oaks Golf Course on Saturday. The meet is scheduled to begin at 5:15 p.m.

A GLANCE AT THE MEN'S TEAM
CSUN returns nine letterwinners from the 2025 team. Sophomore Adam Divinity finished 2025 on a high note as he led the CSUN's men's team with one of the top 10k times in school history at the NCAA West Regionals. His time of 31:34.9 was a huge highlight for the season. Other returners include Thomas Achten, Cesar Cuevas, Omar Heredia, Darrick Jacob, Jr., Diego Rodriguez, Ja'Patrick Smith, Elijah Stenberg, and Raul Verges.

Newcomers include Miles Billiris, Tyler Halvorsen, Erick Leal, Connor Roop, and Luis Torres Orrales, all of whom will be looking to kick off their Matador careers on a high note.

A GLANCE AT THE WOMEN'S TEAM

The Matadors return six letterwinners on the women's side, led by Lilit Arakelyan. She paced the Matadors in the first two races of 2025. In the first meet of the year at the Wave Invite, she led the women with the fastest 4k time in school history (13:59.6) as she finished seventh overall. Her time of 21:43.1 paced the Matadors and was good for 24th place at the Kim Duyst Twilight in the next race. Other returners include Nadia Munoz, Citaly Ruiz, Brianna Torres, Zyanya Torres and Ailani Valiente.

Newcomers include Kinley Jackson and Keona Mataalii. Jackson is a junior out of Gilbert, Arizona and Mataalii is a transfer from LA Harbor College.

2025 KIM DUYST TWILIGHT RESULTS
Elijah Stenberg and Lilit Arakelyan led the way for the Matadors in 2025. The CSUN men finished in sixth place in the 8k with a score of 173 while the women finished in eighth place in the 6k with a score of 211. The men finished with an average time of 24:59.06 while the women finished with an average time of 22:14.76.

Stenberg paced the men with a time of 24:42.8, good enough for the seventh fastest 8k time in school history at the time and 29th overall.

Adam Divinity clocked in at 24:45.3, the eighth-fastest 8k time in school history at the time as he finished 30th overall.

Arakelyan, the junior, finished with the seventh fastest time in school history at the time as well. Her time of 21:43.1 paced the Matadors and was good for 24th place. Finishing second out of the CSUN women was junior Nadia Munoz. Her time of 22:12.3 was good enough for 42nd place and 39 points.

THE ROAD AHEAD

CSUN returns to action in five days on Sep. 17 for its first of three races in Riverside this season. The first contest is the annual UCR Invitational which will take place at the UCR Ag Ops Course.

CSUN will then gear up for its first of five races in October as it will travel to Santa Clarita for the Master's Invitational hosted by The Master's University at Central Park on Oct. 3.

#GoMatadors