MONMOUTH, Ore. – Graduate student Julianna Mendez earned All-West Region honors after finishing 10th, both firsts for Dominican women's cross country at the NCAA West Regional 56k at Ash Creek Preserve.

Mendez started strong racing with the top pack for the first 1.5k with the top runners in the region. Despite falling back slightly from the pace over the next 500 meters, Mendez made up time and was back within the top-10 at the 3.9k mark crossing in 14:21.5. From there Mendez kicked into high gear as she crossed the next 500 meters in 2:14.2, over a minute faster than her earlier 500 meter split time. She then continued the furious pace crossing the final 1.6 k in 5:14.7 to pass two runners including passing Sabrina Garcia of Stanislaus State by .5 seconds at the finish line to claim the best ever finish by a Penguin runner at the meet.

Mendez finished third among PacWest runners behind Academy of Art's Natalie Novak (No. 3) and Azusa Pacific's Justine Stecko (No. 7).

See full results here.