Three Panthers Earn IEAC All-Conference Honors

The Inland Empire Athletic Conference (IEAC) has announced its 2025 Men's and Women's Cross Country All-Conference Teams, with three Panthers earning conference honors.

For the men, sophomores Rohan Weerasekera and Adam Espinoza earned Second Team All-Conference recognition, reflecting their consistency, competitive progression, and leadership at the front of Chaffey's lineup throughout the 2025 season.

Weerasekera and Espinoza traded top-finisher roles all season long. At the Oxnard Invitational, Weerasekera opened strong with a 22:25.3 finish for a top 35 placement, followed closely by Espinoza at 22:28.4. At the Golden West Central Park Classic, Espinoza led the Panthers in 22:46.6, while Weerasekera finished just behind at 22:53.9, showcasing their near-identical pacing and competitive push.

Their consistency continued midseason, with Espinoza running 24:00.8 and Weerasekera 24:44.2 at the Mt. SAC Invitational, before Weerasekera responded with a team-leading 23:47 at the IEAC Championships, where Espinoza followed in 24:05. Espinoza delivered one of the season's biggest performances at the 3C2A SoCal Championships, running a season-best 22:08.9 to qualify individually for the 3C2A State Championships. Weerasekera secured a personal best of his own at 22:46.3, improving by nearly 20 seconds.

At the 3C2A State Championships, the pair closed out their seasons on the biggest stage, with Espinoza leading Chaffey in 22:37.31 and Weerasekera following in 22:43.67 against a field of more than 190 runners. Their poised and disciplined performances capped a season defined by steady improvement and composure.

For the women, freshman Alexis Montano earned Second Team All-Conference recognition following a season marked by steady growth and multiple breakthrough performances. Montano opened the season with a 25:57.4 finish at the Golden West Central Park Classic and continued her progress at the Mt. SAC Invitational, running 25:53.9 against one of the state's strongest fields.

She delivered her best race of the season at the IEAC Championships at Harry Griffen Park, placing 11th overall and clocking a season-best 23:50. The performance marked a personal best by more than two minutes and solidified her status among the conference's top second-team runners. Her rapid improvement and competitive surge were further recognized when she was named the IEAC Athlete of the Week from Oct. 20–25.

These All-Conference selections underscore the dedication, competitive progress, and endurance displayed by the Panthers throughout the 2025 season. Despite competing in a conference packed with top individual talent and deep team rosters, the Panthers' honorees demonstrated the resilience and upward momentum of a program continuing to grow within the IEAC.