The final stretch is near for the CSU East Bay Cross Country team as they close out the 2011 campaign championship style.
The Pioneers will travel to Santa Rosa this weekend to compete in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Championships, where all twelve teams across the conference will represent their universities in the most anticipated competition in the cross country season.
The women will compete first in the 6K race (3.75 miles) followed by the men competing in the 8K race (5 miles).
“The main thing I want our athletes to understand going into this weekend is that we can compete with anyone,” said cross country head coach Ralph Jones.
“This is our first year in the CCAA conference so whatever we do, there are no expectations for us from other teams, but we have our own expectations and that’s for us to go out there, be competitive and represent this university.”
This season for the Pioneers not only marks the first official year they are eligible to compete in CCAA championships, but it is also their first year under the new head coach Ralph Jones and new assistant coach Ron Davis.
Combined, the coaching duo has improved the personal records of all returning runners from both the men and women teams.
Statistically, the team is running at a quicker pace than a season ago with the women’s team having come in first place in two invitationals this season.
“Coach Jones is out there for us,” said cross country runner Megan McDaniel. “He’s probably the best thing that has happened to East Bay cross country.”
Over the weekend, the Pioneers got their last go-at-it before the championships, competing in the Bronco Invitational in Santa Clara.
The women’s team took 5th place amongst more than 20 universities over a 5K course while the men took 14th overall in an 8K course.
“We didn’t have the performances we were expecting based off the way we have been training,” said Coach Jones. “The women got off to too fast of a start in their meet but overall, it’s a great learning experience for us. It’s better for that to have happened this week than next week at conference.”
Sophomore Tiffany Duffy led the women’s team in the Bronco Invitational, finishing 25th overall amongst 187 runners coming in with a time of 19:09.
Duffy has been the Pioneers’ front leading runner all year round and is expected to repeat her dominant performance this weekend.
For the men, sophomore Chris Gallagher had the best performance in the invitational, finishing 52nd overall amongst 176 coming in with a final time of 26:39.
At the conclusion of the race, the team was greeted by former CSUEB head coach Greg Ryan, who was attending the invitational.
Ryan coached the Pioneer cross country and track teams for nine years before retiring after the conclusion of the 2011 track season.
The Pioneers will continue their 6 a.m. daily practices in preparation for the championships this weekend.
The first place team will receive a CCAA championship banner and the top ten finishers of each gender will receive All-CCAA Certificates.
After the CCAA championships, the Pioneers will travel to Spokane, Washington for the NCAA West Regionals to officially close out the 2011 campaign.