The Cal Poly men’s and women’s cross country teams have been eagerly preparing this summer in anticipation of their first race this season.
The men’s side figures to come back strong, having lost only two seniors from last season’s squad that finished 11th at the NCAA Championships (outdoing a national ranking of 22 entering the race).
One of them who will not be returning is two-time All-American Phillip Reid, who finished 33rd overall last year.
Senior Troy Swier has been training hard throughout the summer and has faith that the Mustangs will be able to fill the void left by Reid’s departure.
“We lost our best guy,” Swier said. “Phillip is a really good guy. Having a runner like that helps, but the team is still really deep, and we are still going to be really good. Maybe someone will be able to step it up and replace what Phillip did for us the last couple years.”
Swier said the Mustangs have been preparing for the season by running about 90 to 100 miles per week, and because official practice did not start until recently, the squad has been working together over the summer to maintain its focus.
“We all live within a block of each other – we all run together,” he said. “We pretty much have to motivate ourselves to do it.”
Swier said one of his individual goals is attaining an All-American spot, but “it won’t be easy.”
Cal Poly head coach Mark Conover said that even without Reid, the men’s team has a lot of depth, with many key runners returning.
“Three of the guys are regional runners coming back,” Conover said. “And the best transfer junior college runner in the entire state and one of the best in the country (Daniel Gonia) is coming in and he will be able to step right in, hopefully, and be part of our main group.”
Last spring with San Diego Mesa College, Gonia ran the 10k in 31 minutes, 2.61 seconds and the 5k in 14:56.38 to claim both California Community College titles. Even so, Conover said the men’s squad is comprised of a group whose strength will likely remain in running as a pack.
“Part of our M.O. in the past has been solid group running,” Conover said. “We certainly have that potential this year with who we have coming back, and then adding our top recruit into the mix, too.”
The women’s squad is young, but Conover said its training has progressed well over the summer.
“The goal for the women is certainly to make improvements and work our way up the conference ladder,” he said.
Junior Kimberly Donatelli said the team decided before the summer to put in a lot of mileage over the break.
“Our team is very young, but I think we can still be good,” she said. “Our guys’ team is known for their team, but I think (the women’s team) can be just as good. We have the talent, so it’s just coming together, and I think that’s a huge goal for all of us.”
Both the men’s and women’s teams will begin their seasons at the UC Santa Barbara Lagoon Open at 9 a.m. Aug. 30.