Biola won their fourth consecutive PacWest women’s cross country title this year and top runner
Bethany Mapes won the individual race in November at the Hawaii Country Club.
Mapes, who was a top runner on all four of those Biola championship teams, was selected by the PacWest coaches as the 2025 Runner of the Year, and her coach
Sean Henning is the Coach of the Year. Joining them on the awards platform is
Ania Kapustka of
Concordia as the Newcomer of the Year and
Ella Murray of
Vanguard is the Freshman of the Year.
Bethany Mapes wrapped up a historic career and season this past Fall. After four top ten finishes at the PacWest Championships, including placing third in 2023 and 2024, she broke through in 2025 with a runaway win in Hawaii. She pulled away from the field to win by six seconds and climb to the top spot on the podium.
She topped that two weeks later in Oregon, winning the NCAA West Region Championship in 20:29, the fastest time in the PacWest this year. The San Diego native became the first PacWest runner to win the race since 2004. Mapes leaves Biola as a four-time All-PacWest runner, of which there are only 11 in the conference record books.
Biola coach
Sean Henning was selected by his peers as the PacWest Coach of the Year. The Eagles were the preseason favorite to win their fourth straight conference title, and they were up for the challenge by taking the trophy with 42 points followed by Point Loma with 69. Henning’s team went on to place fourth the NCAA regional meet and 22
nd at nationals. This was Hennings fourth consecutive PacWest Coach of the Year honor.
Ella Murray, who finished second at the conference championships behind Mapes, gives Vanguard their first PacWest cross country award as the Freshman of the Year. Murray crossed the line in 21:46.4, a blink ahead of PLNU’s
Maddie Reeves (21:46.7). Murray went on to earn all-region honors with an 18
th place crossing in a school record time of 21:06. The Huntington Beach native also finished in the top seven in three other races this season.
Concordia’s
Ania Kapustka is the Newcomer of the Year. The senior transfer from Portland State finished fourth at the PacWest Championships with a time of 21:53 and earned all-region laurels in Oregon with a 15
th place run. The Poland native finished in the top five in four different races this year, including winning the San Francisco State Invitational on October 10 by over eight seconds.
In addition to Mapes’ fourth All-PacWest award, Point Loma’s Reeves won her third this year. Listed below is the All-PacWest First, Second and Third teams, based on finishes at the championships in Hawaii.
| 2025 ALL-PACWEST WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY AWARDS |
| Runner of the Year |
Newcomer of the Year |
Freshman of the Year |
Coach of the Year |
Bethany Mapes
Biola |
Ania Kapustka
Concordia |
Ella Murray
Vanguard |
Sean Henning
Biola |
| 2025 ALL-PACWEST WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY TEAM |
| Name |
School |
Class |
Hometown/Previous School |
| FIRST TEAM |
| Bethany Mapes*** |
Biola |
Sr. |
El Cajon, Calif. / Liberty Charter School |
| Ella Murray |
Vanguard |
Fr. |
Westminster, Calif. / Pacifica Christian HS |
| Maddie Reeves** |
Point Loma |
Sr. |
Peoria, Ariz. / Liberty HS |
| Ania Kapustka |
Concordia |
Sr. |
Krakow, Poland / Portland State |
| Sophia Godina* |
Azusa Pacific |
Sr. |
Oxnard, Calif. / Ventura JC |
| Jaina Kang* |
Biola |
So. |
Langley, B.C. / Credo Christian HS |
| Kate Baranski* |
Vanguard |
Jr. |
El Cajon, Calif. / Valhalla HS |
| SECOND TEAM |
| Maddie Ebright |
Biola |
Gr. |
Grand Rapids, Mich. / Grand Valley State |
| Elizabeth King* |
Concordia |
Sr. |
Huntington Beach, Calif. / Ocean View HS |
| Zaila Smith* |
Point Loma |
Sr. |
Buena Vista, Colo. / Middle Tennessee State |
| Hailey Wurzbach* |
Biola |
Jr. |
Fairfield, Calif. / Vacaville HS |
| Sequoia Gonzales |
Hawaii Hilo |
Jr. |
Carson, Calif. / Academy of Art |
| Bree Gentry |
Point Loma |
Sr. |
Chesterton, Ind. / Chesterton HS |
| Kathleen Raab |
Hawaii Hilo |
So. |
Auburn, Wash. / Washington State |
| THIRD TEAM |
| Nikiji Dayse |
Chaminade |
Jr. |
Memphis, Tenn. / Bartlett HS |
| Claire Lesiw |
Biola |
Fr. |
Loomis, Calif. / Del Oro HS |
| Julissa Avila* |
Fresno Pacific |
Sr. |
Farmersville, Calif. / Famersville HS |
| Elizabeth Kurtz |
Biola |
Fr. |
Shawnee, Kan. / Home Schooled |
| Jocelyn Gibson |
Point Loma |
Fr. |
San Diego, Calif. / Cathedral Catholic HS |
| Angela Gladysh |
Jessup |
Fr. |
Roseville, Calif. / Woodcreek HS |
| Lauren Pahl |
Vanguard |
Fr. |
Prior Lake, Minn. / United Christian Academy |
*Indicates Previous All-PacWest Winner