YUCAIPA, CA– Crafton Hills College’s cross-country team is making big strides one race at a time. Just four years after the program’s inception, its men’s team and runner Elizabeth Garcia have qualified for the Southern California regionals in San Diego on November 7.
The team earned its regional spot in late October after the men placed fourth overall and Garcia finished third individually.
“It’s exciting,” said Crafton’s cross country team Coach, Martin Zamudio. “We are trying to get that Crafton name out there because we’re kind of underestimated both athletically and academically.”
Crafton’s runners come from a mix of athletic backgrounds, including former football and baseball players. The men’s roster is also composed of all first-year Crafton students.
On the women’s side, Garcia, a second-year student from Redlands, has been running since the third grade. Joining the Crafton team, she said, helped her discover a deeper passion for the sport.
“I think it’s an amazing opportunity for me,” said Garcia, 19. “I don’t see [cross country] as something I have to do, but something I get to do. Thinking of running this way allows me to take it in more because I’m choosing to do this, and I might as well give it my all.”
The SoCal Regional XC Championships will be held at NTC Park, 2455 Cushing Road, San Diego. Races begin at 10 a.m. for the women’s 5k and 11 a.m. for the men’s 4-miler. Athletes with top qualifying times will advance to the state championships on November 22.
While results for regionals will not be known until after competition concludes, Zamudio said he is confident in his team’s effort and growth.
“The avenue I want them to take is realizing that hard work does pay off,” he said. “They didn’t anticipate going to regionals but just wanted to give the sport a try. I want them to learn from the experience and work toward a personal record.”
Garcia echoed the sentiment.
“I think if you had told me my senior year of high school, I would have joined the cross country team at Crafton, I would have laughed at you. But I don’t think I would be the runner I am today without Crafton. I really put that on my coaches because they really put that confidence in me.”
To learn more about the team, visit www.craftonhills.edu/athletics and click on the “Cross Country” tab. You can also follow the team on Instagram at www.instagram.com/chccrosscountry.
