Cross country season review 2015
CLAREMONT, Calif. - Both the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps men's and women's cross country teams had very successful seasons in 2015 and are looking forward to the 2016 season with much anticipation.
CMS' men's team is coming off of its most successful season in program history, highlighted by a seventh place finish at the NCAA National Championships. For the second straight year, the Stags overcame a disappointing loss to rivals Pomona-Pitzer at Multi-Duals to take the SCIAC title, their fourth consecutive and 15th in program history. Placing their entire top five in the top 10 overall, the Stags secured their lowest point total (29) since 2002, as well as their third fastest team time ever at Prado Park. Six of their top seven finishers set personal course records, averaging a 44-second improvement per athlete. Overall, 14 men set personal course records on the day. The Stags will look to continue their SCIAC dominance in the fall of 2016, with half of the top 12 SCIAC returners for next season.
The men continued their winning ways at the NCAA West Regional, their seventh in program history. The Stags impressive depth led them to victory, accumulating seven All-Regional performers, the most since 2002. The first-place finish earned them their 14th NCAA National Championships appearance.
At the NCAA National Championship, senior Zorg Loustalet (HMC) led the charge to seventh place team finish with a 29th place finish overall and his third All-American award. The three All-American awards by a single athlete were a first for CMS, and it has only been accomplished three other times in the history of the West Region. Overall, the Stags placed their top five in the top 107 places overall at the NCAA Championships, with a tight 1-5 split of 38 seconds.
Kyle Lund (HMC) entered the top-10 of the All-Time 8-Kilometer CMS Performance List with his 24:43 at the Stanford Invitational, good for seventh on the list. Evan Molineux (CMC) also sneaked into the top-20 with a 25:11 at the season opener. Joshua Sealand (HMC, 25:15, 21st), Kevin Huang (CMC, 25:33, 29th), Nico Banks (CMC, 25:35, 32nd), and Jesse Joseph (HMC, 25:41, 39th) also joined the top-40 with their performances throughout the season. Overall, 21 Stags established personal bests in the 8-kilometer distance
The Athenas also enjoyed considerable success throughout the season, rolling to a sixth straight SCIAC title, their 25th in program history. The score of 29 points marked the fifth-lowest point total ever at the SCIAC Championships, and the lowest since 2000. The Athenas packed their top seven finishers in the top 11 overall, finishing with nine total All-SCIAC athletes. Twelve women set course records on the day, including the top seven women whose average improvement per athlete was over a minute for the 6-kilometer distance. The Athenas' depth was not just limited to the top seven runners, as the Athenas' 10th runner would have scored in the top-5 for any of the other SCIAC squads, and their 15th runner would have finished in the top-7 for any other SCIAC team. Additionally, any of the Athenas' top eight finishers would have been the top finisher for over half of the competing SCIAC teams.
The Athenas received an automatic bid to the NCAA National Championships by placing second in the West Regional. Despite the highly competitive regional – it featured three teams ranked in the top 11 nationally - all seven CMS women earned All-Region honors. It was the second year in a row that all 14 CMS competitors (seven men and seven women) earned All-Region honors by finishing in the top 35 overall, a feat that has only occurred three times total in West Regional history.
Appearing at the NCAA National Championships for the 18th time, the Athenas were led by a resurgent senior Bridget Blum (CMC) to a 13th place team finish. Blum, who had not competed at the national meet due to injury the previous two seasons, earned her second All-American award with a 27th place finish. On the day, CMS was one of only 19 programs to be represented at the national meet by both men and women. This was their eighth-consecutive year of accomplishing that feat, something that no other West Regional team has ever accomplished. The combined finish for the men and women in 2015 was the second highest in program history, bested only by the 11th and third place finishes in 2011.
Overall for the women, 16 athletes established personal bests at the 6K distance, including six additions to the top 25 of the 6-kilometer CMS All-Time Performance list. Leading the way was Jen Lehr (SCR) with the 12th-fastest performance with a 22:07 at the Multi-Duals. Other additions include Bryn McKillop (SCR, 22:15, 16th), Laura Broderick (SCR, 22:32, 21st), Roselyn Cantu (CMC, 22:19, 22nd), Caroline Willian (CMC, 22:35, 24th), and Amanda Riley (SCR, 22:43, 25th). Additionally, Natalie Marsh (SCR, 23:21, 46th), and Lauren Stanislaw (SCR, 23:22, 47th) added their names to the top-50 All-Time list. All eight women are set to return for the Athenas next year.
The cross country program's successful campaign was Coach John Goldhammer's 32nd year with a single sport, matching the highest total in CMS history. With the men's and women's SCIAC titles, he raised his total to 68 – 25 more than the next highest total in the history of the SCIAC. This past year marked the fourth straight season both teams swept the SCIAC titles, and the 13th overall during Coach Goldhammer's tenure. He also earned distinction as the USTFCCA West Regional Men's Coach of the Year, his second straight and 26th ever.
By Collin Christensen
Cross Country Asstistant Coach
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