The San Diego State cross country team finished its season last Friday at the NCAA West Regionals Championships in Sacramento. The Aztecs’ results were not the best, placing at No. 30 out of 32 teams. However, SDSU’s top five runners achieved lifetime personal records in the 6k meet, which shows signs that this squad put forth its best efforts.
Assistant Chris Capeau said the team plans to improve and continue competing with other programs in the upcoming season.
[quote]“I’m not going to sit and say that I am stoked about the teams result,” Capeau said. “It was a start, you know there is always a saying, ‘Compete to win.’ Well, we are at the point where we can learn how to compete first and then we can start winning.”[/quote]
SDSU’s overall team score at regionals was 810 compared to first-place University of Arizona who took the title with 84 points.
It’s the team unity that is starting to build up, Capeau said. He also said that he is excited with the initial recruiting that head coach Shelia Burrell and him are doing for next season.
[quote]“For where they’re at, they did their best. Is now where they need to be as a Division I program: Absolutely not. But I know that those girls have a lot of potential and they will show that,” Capeau said. “I am excited about what’s ahead of us.”[/quote]
Something that was unanticipated before the season began was the success that Chelsea Kruthers would have since she took the team under her wing as a sophomore. Before this year, she said she did not consider herself a cross country runner.
Kruthers concluded her season as the Aztecs’ top runner and placed No. 119 overall with a time of 21 minutes, 39 seconds. Sophomore Rachel Roesgen surpassed her personal record with a time of 22:05, which earned her No. 155 overall.
SDSU’s next three runners were composed of two juniors and a freshman.
Kruthers said the team ran well at the meet, but she believes that there is room for improvement.
[quote]“As we continue building a cross country program, we have to remember that we are a young team and that it is a learning process, we will only get better in time and we are on our way to doing big things,” Kruthers said. “As far as my biggest accomplishment goes for the season, I’d say it would have to be leading my team for five consecutive races to the finish line. It goes to show how much hard work pays off. It’s a bittersweet feeling.”[/quote]
Roesgen said the team expects to pick up right where it left off and that its advantage will be the new recruits that will come next year and another year of solid training.
“Overall, we had a successful season full of solid training, numerous personal records across the board in both distances, and positive improvements in the team atmosphere,” Roesgen said. “We are sad to see the season end, but excited for track season, which is right around the corner.”
Photo by Monica Linzmeier, Photo Editor
