DAVIS, Calif. – UC Davis sophomore standout Brianna Weidler became the first Aggie since 2008 to qualify for the National Meet. The only thing faster than her progression from her freshman season to now are the times she is dropping on the course.

The Temecula native blew away the field at the Big West Championship, earning Athlete of the Year honors on the heels of running away from the field by over 20 seconds. But that jump to being one of the top harriers in the region started at the 2021 championship.
 
Weidler burst onto the scene a year ago, earning Big West Freshman of the Year honors and that familiarity of putting a solid meet together has carried over to her postseason in 2022.

"After my conference finish, I had no doubts that I was capable of running with the other girls in the top 10 at regionals," Weidler said. "I just wanted to stay calm, have fun with the experience, and hopefully qualify for nationals."

That is exactly what she did, becoming the first Aggie since Kim Conley and Kaitlin Gregg in 2008 to represent the Aggies at the national meet.

"The opportunity to represent UC Davis on a national level means the world to me, especially because this was my dream school for years." Weidler added. "It also reflects how our team has been developing with all of the hard work that we have been putting in."
 
Weidler's seventh place finish a week ago at the regional meet was the best in school history and no one has ever run a faster race at that meet as the sophomore crossed the line in a blistering 19:28.7.
 
"I am so happy for Bri," head cross country coach Emma Petersen said. "To qualify for a national championship is a huge accomplishment, but to do that as a sophomore is even more incredible. Early in the season things started to click for Bri and she put together consistent training and racing, but it was her race at Santa Clara halfway through the season that was the huge breakthrough."
 
At that meet Weidler shattered the 20-minute mark to finish as the runner-up with a time of 19:40.7 in a talented field en route to being named the Big West Conference Athlete of the Week.

"Now she's heading to Nationals with a level of confidence that she can keep up with the nation's best because now she's proved she is one of the nation's best herself," Petersen explained.
 
The Biology major didn't expect to execute a meet like that this early in her collegiate career, but the elation was in full display on her face as she crossed the line as the Big West Champion. That smile and quiet confidence has paid dividends in her postseason and looks to carry over in Stillwater this weekend.