Cal State LA men’s and women’s cross-country teams look to turn the page and take a step forward in 2024. The teams are set to begin their seasons on Saturday, Sept. 7, at the Sonoma State Seawolf Invitational in Fresno.
The Golden Eagles seek to improve from a disappointing 2023 season where the men’s team finished last in all but one meet and the women’s side didn’t field teams in half of their meets.
Both teams were selected to finish last in this season’s California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) men’s and women’s cross-country Coaches Preseason Polls. Both polls selected Chico State to win the CCAA championships.
Head Coach Orentheus Hutcherson cited the COVID-19 pandemic as contributing to the program’s recent struggles.
“When COVID came, our numbers dropped drastically, especially on the women’s side, and since then, it’s been tough,” Hutcherson said.
Since then, Hutcherson said he has worked to rebuild the program to pre-COVID roster numbers. He said the men’s team has 12 to 14 fourteen roster members, while the women’s team has nine to 11 members. For comparison, Hutcherson said the men’s team had seven full-time runners last year, while the women had five runners. These numbers contribute to Coach Hutcherson’s optimism in his team.
“I do expect us to be considerably better than last year because we have more, especially on the women’s side, actual cross-country runners,” said Hutcherson.
During practice on Wednesday, Aug. 29, Hutcherson told his runners to focus on pace and consistency.
Senior Norma Martinez headlines the women’s team. Last season, she raced in all six of Cal State LA’s meets and finished as the team’s top runner in four events. Her 23:17.2 finish at the University of California, Riverside Highlander Classic in the 6,000-meter race was the fastest 6,000-meter time among team runners last season.
However, Coach Hutcherson has been impressed by the offseason work of second-year runner Nelly Garnica. Hutcherson credited Garnica for improving her fitness level and resilience after workouts.
“She’s gotten a lot faster than what she did last year, so I’m really excited to see how she does this season,” said Hutcherson.
As a freshman, Garnica was the only other Golden Eagle to participate in all six meets. She ran her fastest 5,000-meter time at 26:27.2 during the Cal State San Bernardino Coyote Challenge and her fastest 6,000-meter time at 27:11.2 during the Highlander Classic last year. Garnica hopes to lower those marks to around 19 minutes and 23 to 24 minutes, respectively.
The men’s team also returns their top runner from last season, senior David Rush. A transfer from Riverside Community College, Rush finished as the team’s top-placing runner in all six races last season. This includes a 19th-place finish at the Coyote Challenge and a season-best 8,000-meter time of 26:33.4 at the Cal State San Marcos Cougar Challenge.
“I like to think that I bring a little flair, a little personality, but also a unique brand of seriousness,” said Rush.
Rush and Coach Hutcherson said Christian Perez and Trent Osborn impressed during the offseason. Perez competed in five of six races as a freshman last season, placing as high as 64th in the CCAA Championships in Fremont. Osborn is transferring from Los Angeles Harbor College and is someone Rush said has kept up with him during training.
With the season fast approaching, runners are enthusiastic about returning to competition.
“I’ve been waiting so long over the summer … so knowing that there’s races finally coming now that the season is starting is really hyping me up,” said Rush.
