Halpern led the No. 14 nationally ranked Warriors with a sixth-place finish in the women's 6K at the Bronco Invitational, completing the course in 20:34.9.
Her performance helped Stan State finish second with 77 points, trailing only No. 4 Chico State, which won the team title with 46 points. The Warriors finished ahead of several NCAA Division I programs, including San Francisco, Santa Clara, Sacramento State, Fresno State and Cal Poly.
Halpern paced a Stan State lineup that placed five runners among the top 27 overall, including three in the top 17. All-American Annie Wild finished 12th in 20:48.6, while freshman Natalie Arriaza placed 17th in 20:56.4.
The Warriors posted a scoring-five average of 20:57.0, with just 39 seconds separating their first and fifth finishers.
Halpern and the Warriors will begin postseason competition Saturday, Nov. 7, at the CCAA Cross Country Championships at the CSUSB Cross Country Course in San Bernardino. The women's 6K race is scheduled for 11 a.m.
Stan State will then compete at the NCAA Division II West Regional on Saturday, Nov. 21, at the Arcade Creek Cross Country Course in Sacramento. The women's race is scheduled for 10:15 a.m.
