Natarajan Runs to 3C2A State Title
Sophomore etches name in record books; wins fourth straight meet
FRESNO, Calif. (Nov. 22, 2025) – A season full of conditioning, training, preparation and perseverance culminated today at the California Community College Athletic Association (3C2A) Women's Cross Country State Championships where Maya Natarajan ran her way into the record books with a first place finish in 17:40.2 for Moorpark College.
Runners navigated a partially hilly course in cool temperatures where Natarajan paced a field of 169 competitors from across the state and guided the Raiders to a sixth (222) place overall finish at Woodward Park.
Natarajan was just two tenths of a second back in second place, 5:37.2, at the mile marker, but she promptly made her move. By the two-mile mark, she had turned the tiniest of deficits into a nine tenths of second advantage. The sophomore continued to slowly outkick her closest competitor, Jazzlyn Islas (San Diego Mesa), to create an 11.3 second gap over the final 1.1 miles as she cruised into the finish line completely alone.
In her final Moorpark race, she etched her name into the record books, not only at MC but within the State as she was crowned the 2025 3C2A State Champion.
Her finish puts her tied for 13th all-time in the Woodward Park Top Times. Natarajan joins Rachel Naumann (2013 – T-33rd, 18:03) from Moorpark on the list.
Natarajan is in good company representing Moorpark. Sophia Cortina was also crowned the 3C2A State Champion for Moorpark in 2019 with a time of 18:27.6. Sammy Barajas was the State Runner-Up in 2018 after finishing in 18:09.7.
Earlier this season, at the UCR Invitational, Natarajan ran a personal best time of 17:35.8, which sparked a string of four consecutive individual wins, including the WSC Championships, 3C2A So Cal Regional and today's State Championships.
Natarajan has spent the last two years building her talents for the Raiders and Moorpark wishes her nothing but success as this chapter of her story closes and the next one begins.
Results: 3C2A Women's Cross Country State Championships
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