SAN DIEGO — Sophomore
Clare Boneau has been named to the 2026 West Coast Conference Women's Cross Country Preseason Team, the conference announced Thursday, capping a freshman year in which she rewrote a piece of the USD record book.
Boneau is San Diego's only preseason honoree — men's or women's — and one of 10 runners selected to the team by the league's head coaches.
Boneau made her collegiate debut at the Aztec Coastal Classic on Aug. 29, 2025, and by spring had two USD freshman records to her name. She ran 4:34.48 in the 1500 meters to win her collegiate debut at the PLNU Sea Lion Invite on March 14, 2026 — a freshman record and the fourth-fastest time in program history. Two weeks later, at the Mangrum Invite on March 27, 2026, she set a second freshman record in the 5000 meters at 17:12.93, the seventh-best mark in program history. In between, she was runner-up in the 1500 meters at the Arnie Robinson Invite on March 20, 2026, in 4:39.85.
Her cross country debut the previous fall was just as steady. Boneau raced all six meets for the Toreros in 2025, posted a team-best 6K at the WCC Championships (22:07.6) and closed the season with San Diego's fastest time at the NCAA West Regionals (22:19.9). Her season-best 6K, 21:53.9, came at the Highlander Invite on Oct. 18, 2025.
A Keller High School (Texas) product, Boneau arrived at USD as a two-time district champion and a 2024 All-State cross country and 2025 All-State track and field honoree who captained both programs as a junior and senior.
Boneau's selection came alongside the WCC's preseason coaches polls for both San Diego programs. The Toreros women were picked fifth in the nine-team women's poll with 30 points, while the USD men were picked eighth, with 10 points. Portland was the favorite in both polls, topping the men's with 49 points and seven of eight first-place votes and the women's with 59 points and three of nine first-place votes. San Francisco was picked second in both.
| 2026 West Coast Conference Women's Cross Country Preseason Poll |
| Place |
Team |
First Place |
Points |
| 1. |
Portland |
3 |
59 |
| 2. |
San Francisco |
5 |
58 |
| 3. |
Santa Clara |
|
49 |
| 4. |
Saint Mary's |
1 |
46 |
| 5. |
San Diego |
|
30 |
| 6. |
LMU |
|
26 |
| 7. |
Pepperdine |
|
25 |
| 8. |
Pacific |
|
19 |
| 9. |
Seattle U |
|
12 |
| 2026 Women's Cross Country All-WCC Preseason Team |
| Name |
Institution |
Yr. |
| Milaina Almonte |
Santa Clara |
Sr. |
| Clare Boneau |
San Diego |
So. |
| Anna Buettner |
San Francisco |
Sr. |
| Faustine Chaboche |
San Francisco |
Sr. |
| Elizabeth Crawford |
Pepperdine |
Sr. |
| Megan Crum |
Portland |
So. |
| Petra Helebrantova |
San Francisco |
Sr. |
| Poppy Martin |
San Francisco |
Jr. |
| Viola Paoletti |
Portland |
Fr. |
| Latham West |
Portland |
Fr. |
