First Look: CSUSM Men's XC Running For National Title, Third Straight National Podium Appearance

The Cougars are deep with All-American potential and return four from last year's 3rd place team.
8/12/2013 5:19:00 PM


Western Nelson (center) and the Cougars have big plans in 2013.
SAN MARCOS, Calif.— After weeks of building up grueling summer mileage, the Cal State San Marcos men's cross country kicked of their road to Lewiston, Kan. on Saturday chasing the team's first ever national championship. The team's 21 man roster joined together for the first time, running an eight-mile time trial along the coast in Oceanside as the team does every season before heading up to Mammoth Lakes, Calif. to spend a week bonding at altitude.

The Cougars have bright hopes for this season after finishing second as a team in the NAIA National Championships in 2011 and third in 2012, and have a realistic chance to take home the number one spot. CSUSM returns four of its top seven from last year's squad that competed at nationals, and has also sprinkled in a few new key additions to compete with several other potential scorers returning from last year's deep team.

Leading the way for Cal State San Marcos is Western Nelson, who is looking to become the university's first athlete to earn All-American honors in all four years on campus. Nelson is also the only runner in the NAIA to have been an All-American in each of the last three seasons. The senior from Burbank finished third in last year's Association of Independent Institutions (A.I.I.)
Conference Championship and 17th at the NAIA National Championship. Nelson has finished as high as seventh in 2011, and will look to improve upon that in his final year.

Often lost in the discussion of the team's impressive run of national finishes is the flat-out dominance the Cougars have had in the A.I.I. Conference Championship meet. Since the formation of the A.I.I. in 2008, the Cougars have won all five titles, often defeating several nationally ranked opponents. Last year, CSUSM knocked off No. 2 ranked British Columbia by taking four out of the first five spots, thanks to strong contributions from freshmen Steven Ing (fourth) and Michael Hewitt (fifth).

The duo will look to improve upon their All-Conference honors in 2013 and shoot for positions in the top-30 at nationals, which would secure them an All-American award. Ing, who redshirted track due to injuries and and has been banged up throughout the summer as well will be a key component for the team if he can stay healthy for an extended period of time. Hewitt, who ran the team's time in the 800m during track, will look to adjust back to the 8-kilometer distance.

Also looking to be a major player this season is senior Eric Brockhoff, who led the 2012 team with a mark of 3:54.82 in the 1500m. Zach Laurenzana, Easton Tackett, Anthony Girolamo, and Ryan Jensen also are returners likely be in the mix for the Cougars based on their impressive athletic resumes and fitness level entering Saturday's time trial.

A major addition for CSUSM was the transfer of Caesar Castillo, a sophomore from University of Saint Mary (Kan.) who finished 43rd at last year's NAIA National Championships as a freshman. Castillo was also the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) champion in the 3000m in both indoor and outdoor track. The product of Bonita Vista High School in Chula Vista figures to improve even more in 2013 after returning back near his hometown from the Midwest.

Chris Ceja, a freshman out of Trubuco Hills High School in Mission Viejo is also another newcomer to watch out for with experience in big races for the Mustangs, who were ranked among the state's best for most of 2012.

With such a deep pool of talent, coach Steve Scott feels the team can contend for the NAIA National Championship, and expects the team will open the season ranked in the top few spots. “Obviously, the work has to be put in, staying healthy is always an issue, and we can't control what other teams do, but we have the talent to compete for a national title,” said Scott.

The Cougars will get their first test Wednesday, August 21 in Mammoth Lakes, running in a 6K competition in essentially an exhibition dual meet against Vanguard in altitude before beginning a stretch of six invitationals throughout September and October. The A.I.I. Conference Championships will be hosted at Cal State San Marcos November 9 and the NAIA National Championships take place November 23— just over 100 days away. For now though, the Cougars prefer to plug away at it one day at a time.