Pelaez, Salinas Named NorCal Runners of the Week; Quezada, Skefich Tabbed SoCal Top Runners
September 21, 2026
Northern California Runners of the Week are Michael Pelaez of San Joaquin Delta College and Jennifer Salinas of Fresno City College for their performances at the Big 8 Preview Meet at Oak Grove Park in Stockton.
Pelaez is off to a great sophomore season and was a 41 second winner in 21:19 on his home course that will host the Big 8 Conference Championship in late October. The Delta sophomore started the year just two seconds off his Woodward Park best already dipping under 21 minutes on the state course.
Salinas is a rising star for the Rams after her 19:29 performance at Oak Grove Park. The sophomore started her season with a seventh place at the Tour de Cuesta and followed that with a 38th place finish at the Crush Invitational at Woodward Park.
Southern California Runners of the Week go to Bakersfield College runner Jacob Quezada and El Camino College standout Jadeyn Skefich.
Quezada took home the overall victory for BC by nine seconds on a tough 4-mile course at Edward Vincent Park in Inglewood. Quezada has shown excellent early season fitness beyond the victory with a runner-up finish at the Barstow Invitational and a 21 second PR in 21:34 at the Crush Invitational.
Skefich is one of the top returning women in the state and kicked off her final season for El Camino with a two-minute victory at altitude in Ridgecrest at the Desert Valley Invitational. The fourth place SoCal and sixth place overall finisher at last year's 3C2A Championship appears ready to push for both titles.
(California Community College Cross Country and Track and Field Coaches Association (5CTCA))