The UCSD men’s and women’s cross country teams are preparing for their first glimpse of postseason action at the California Collegiate Athletic Association Championships at Cal State Bakersfield on Oct. 26. The women’s team is ranked 16th in the national Division II poll, which is determined by votes from members of the executive committee of the United States Cross Country Coaches Association, while the men’s team is currently unranked.
The teams qualified their respective squads two weeks ago at the UCSD Triton Classic, where the top seven runners on each of the teams earned a spot on the conference squad. Competing for the men are top finisher David Dunbar, who finished the Triton Classic in 10th place overall; Neil Kalra (14th); John Morrison (32nd); Steven Martin (34th); Devin Callister (46th); Tov Fisher-Kirshner (68th); and Carl Lostrom (70th).
Dunbar, Kalra, Morrison and Martin were all members of last year’s conference squad, which finished in third place out of seven teams at the CCAA championships, fourth out of 18 teams at the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II West Regional, and 15th of 24 squads at last’s years NCAA Division II National Championship meet. Dunbar and Kalra have experience from 2000 as well, being members of that season’s third-place conference team. As a sophomore, Dunbar also competed as an individual at the NCAA national championships that year, taking 52nd out of 181 runners, the lone men’s Triton runner.
The women’s team is led by track and field All-American Audrey Sung, who finished sixth overall at both the Triton Classic and last year’s conference meet. Joining her in Bakersfield will be Lindsay Stalker, who finished 44th at the Classic; Erin O’Donnell (46th); Meghan Bellotti (51st); Lillian Gardiner (56th); Mimi Hodgins (57th), and Katie Bunker (65th).
Of the seven Tritons, Gardiner, Stalker and Sung return from last season’s conference team, which finished fifth out of 11 teams at the conference and 12th out of 21 teams at the West Regional, but fell short of qualifying for the national championship meet. Sung and Gardiner were teammates on the 2000 squad that finished fourth in conference action.
According to UCSD head coach Ted Van Arsdale, the team will bring its entire 20-runner roster for morale, unity and in case it needs alternates due to injury. Van Arsdale says the runners will have the opportunity to compete at the West Regional regardless of where they finish at the conference championships this weekend.
However, it will be up to the runners to prove that they belong there at Bakersfield first. If they do compete at regionals, where they are ranked in the top three behind UC Davis and Chico State, a top-three team finish will ensure them a berth at the NCAA championships at Brookside Golf Course in Ashland, Ohio, on Nov. 23.
