UCSD cross country prepares to say goodbye as seniors Jon Wong, Steve Smith,

Mary Clare Peate, and Grace Sousa will graduate this year.

The four helped the Tritons finish 15th on the men’s side at this season’s National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II Championships, and 12th at the NCAA Division II West Regional Championships on the women’s side.

Sousa was a first-year runner on the team, but still made contributions, most notably finishing 53rd at the California Collegiate Athletic Association Championships, 83rd at the Triton Invitational, heavy with Division I talent, and 96th at the regional championships. For her, however, her experience what much more than finishes.

“”The best thing about cross country is the team relationship,”” Sousa said. “”That was really the best part for me. Just being able to run with the other girls on the team–that was worth it for me. You learn a lot about managing your time, dedicating yourself to a goal, and all that good stuff. That only augments what you learn academically.””

Sousa said that her memories on the cross country team will revolve around the experiences she had with her teammates, and her favorite one is no different.

“”It was when we went to the regional meet,”” Sousa said. “”It was so muddy that

your feet sunk into the mud. The gun went off, everyone was trying to run, and

everyone started laughing. It was hilarious. That was the epitome of cross country for me-running in the mud and just having a great time.””

Sousa, who will earn a degree in Animal Physiology & Neuroscience, plans to attend medical school, but is undecided as to where. As she moves into the future, she remembers her beginnings here after transferring from San Diego

City College, where she ran cross country as well.

“”UCSD was the school I always wanted to go to, and I was lucky there was a transfer program,”” Sousa said. “”After I had run cross country at city college,

I naturally just wanted to do it at UCSD. You always want to represent your school.””

Head coach Ted Van Arsdale said Sousa’s attitude was the most important thing she brought to the team.

“”She was incredible,”” Van Arsdale said. “”She brought a lot of maturity to us.

[She had] guts. She came in from a participation-based program to a competition-based program. She made our conference and regional team, and you have to be competitive to do that. She’s a self-made woman.””

Peate was also a first-year runner for the Tritons, but hardly showed it based

on some of her performances. She was the top Triton runner at the Stanford Invitational, a meet stacked with top-flight professionals and Division I runners, and also took 38th at the CCAA meet and 82nd at the national championships.

“”She’s a late-comer to the entire program,”” Van Arsdale said. “”In essence she was running her sophomore year this year, in experience.””

According to Van Arsdale, not all athletes can be measured simply based on their performance in the field, and Peate and Sousa were prime examples of that.

“”Both of them brought in a different component other than a competitive spirit,”” Van Arsdale said. “”Mary and Grace brought in a more social, positive experience for the team because of their maturity. They kept us balanced.””

On the men’s side, both seniors’ priorities were not on cross country, but rather track and field. Wong is the school record holder in the 1,500 meters and a two-time national qualifier in the same event, but had no problem juggling both sports and an electrical engineering major.

“”Cross country is more fun than track as far as hanging out with the team since we’re all doing the same thing,”” Wong said. “”In track, we’re doing our own events. I try to help out the cross country team as much as I can, but being the school record holder in the 1,500 doesn’t make me the best guy on the cross country team.””

Wong said that since he’s joined both teams, he has become more disciplined and hardworking, but at the same time, more outgoing and relaxed. Van Arsdale agrees, referring to Wong’s dancing prowess.

“”[We’ll miss] his enthusiasm,”” Van Arsdale said. “”He’s an incredible dancer.

He’s really helped stimulate the interest of the other guys on the team. And he represents what our program has always been about. He’s improved from an average high school runner to one of the best in the country. He comes in and constantly improves every year.

Wong, who will be attending graduate school here at UCSD next year, acknowledges his preference for track races over cross country ones, because of his penchant towards shorter, faster races. That need for speed will keep Wong training with Van Arsdale during the track season next year, where Wong said he will enter several of the team’s events, but unattached rather than as a Triton.

“”I’m pretty much going to be doing everything they do,”” Wong said. “”It’s to see how fast I can be in one more year… [but] it feels different because I know I won’t be officially on the team.””

Smith earned his fair share of success on the track as well, winning the CCAA title in the 800 meters his sophomore year, and placing fourth this year. Smith also owns one of the top seven marks in school history in the 800 meters.

“”He was an individual who raced with energy and enthusiasm,”” Van Arsdale said. “”I don’t think I’ve known a person who is quicker-he’s just an incredible wit. We’re going to miss his passion and emotion for racing.””

Van Arsdale said that graduation makes him feel two different things. He always finds it difficult when seniors graduate, because they take away years of leadership and success, but finds solace in the fact that others will benefit as a result.

“”It saddens me whenever we graduate seniors because of the experiences that leave with them,”” Van Arsdale said. “”On the other side, as a group, they’re taking those experiences and they’re going to share them with the world. It’s our loss.””