HONOLULU – The Chaminade University men's and women's cross country teams will open their 2025 seasons this Friday at the University of Hawai'i Manoa's Big Wave Invitational at Kapiolani Park.
Both Silverswords teams are on opposite ends of their respective spectrums. While the men's squad will be looking at a near total rebuild, the women have loads of experience returning.
For the 'Swords men, who were picked to finish 10th in the Pacific West Conference Preseason Poll, only one of the 10 members have running experience with them from a year ago. Sophomore
Anthony John Bergancia (Saipan, Northern Marianas Islands/Marianas) took part in four races last season and was the team's No. 2 finisher in each.
James Carter (Raleigh, Miss./Harrison Central) was a member of the team a year ago but sat out.
The remaining eight members are competing for the first time including
Nate Mendez (Kailua, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Kailua), a senior who has been at Chaminade as purely a student the past three years, two sophomores in
Nicholas Gebbia (San Antonio, Texas/Lee) and
Isaiah Taylor (Wall, N.J./St. Rose) and three freshmen;
Anthony Fontanez (Belmar, N.J./St. Rose),
Kalama Francisco (Pahoa, Hawai'i/Kamehameha-Hawai'i) and
Dyson Murakami (Aiea, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Kalani).
Also on the squad are two members on loan from the Silverswords' baseball team;
Caleb Kim (Aiea, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Christian Academy) and
Ace Perry (Kaneohe, O'ahu, Hawai'i/University).
On the ladies team, four are back including
Nikiji Dayse (Memphis, Tenn./Bartlett), the 'Swords' top returnee. The junior had one of the top performances by a women's runner in program history, winning the Hawai'i Pacific Invitational last October – her first career title – with two runner-up placements. At last year's PacWest Championship in Irvine, California, Dayse set a Chaminade record for the fastest 6-kilometer time, finishing the course in 22 minutes, 31 seconds.
Jordyn Koki (Ewa Beach, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Kamehameha-Kapalama) is the 'Swords' lone senior with three years of competition while juniors
Cassie Chong (Mililani, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Mililani) and
Emily Cooper (Mount Desert Island, Maine/Mount Desert Island) return. Chong enjoyed three third-place team finishes a year ago while Cooper had a pair in fourth. The conference coaches picked the Silversword women to finish eighth of the 12 PacWest teams in the preseason poll.
The four newcomers are
Aleah Montgomery (Wahiawa, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Leilehua),
Jocelyn Thomas (Tonganoxie, Kan./Kaiser, Honolulu),
Maggie Turnbach (Brick, N.J./St. Rose) and
Ava Walker (Las Vegas/Faith Lutheran). Montgomery and Thomas are freshmen while Turnbach is a sophomore and a former member of the Silverswords' softball program last year. Walker also played CUH softball last season and will be a dual-sport athlete this academic term.
Chaminade's hosted Invitational will be on Saturday, Sept. 20 at Kapiolani Park followed a week later by the HPU Invitational on Sept. 27 at the Hawai'i Country Club just outside of Waipahu. The golf course will also serve as the site of this year's PacWest Championship on Oct. 25, with HPU serving as the host.
The NCAA West Regional will be in Monmouth, Oregon, on Nov. 8. The 'Swords ladies have competed in the last two regionals while the men have sent individual runners the past two years.
