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Program History

Established in 1999, the Cross Country program at Cal State San Marcos has been competitive in the NAIA since its inception. Coach Steve Scott, a former Olympian and member of the United States Track and Field Hall of Fame, has guided the team since the beginning. Scott’s extensive international experience has allowed him to provide the squad’s up-and-coming runners with valuable insights over the years, and he continues to do so with each season’s team.

The Cougar Cross Country Team came roaring onto the scene in the 1999 season. Led by star runner Marcus Chandler, the men’s team finished in a tie for third at Nationals. Chandler, just a freshman at the time, became CSUSM’s first ever All-American in any sport. The women’s team finished 17th out of a field of 27 teams, and was led by senior Claris Fernandez. For a program in its first year of existence, the competitive finishes (specifically the men’s top-3 finish) were beyond anyone’s expectations.

In 2000, Coach Steve Scott proved that the previous year was not a fluke. Entering the year with a #2 national rankings, both the men’s and women’s teams easily won at Regionals, and went on to post strong showings at Nationals. The men’s team, once again led by Marcus Chandler, finished in 20th place; while the women’s team, led by newcomer Cara Rumble, finished 12th. Both Chandler and Rumble were named All-Americans.

2001 was a rebuilding year for the women’s team, which lost many of its top runners. The men’s team, however, went on to qualify for Nationals despite being in a much tougher Region due to NAIA re-alignment. Led by freshman Rene Reyes, the men’s team placed 15th at Nationals, improving on its result from the prior season.

In 2002, both the men’s and women’s squads continued to mature. During the season, the men’s team tied for first at the Biola University Invitational and won the Fullerton Invitational. Once again, they won the Region II Championship, while the women finished third. For the women, 2002 marked a return to Nationals, where the squad finished 20th. The men’s team, led by All-American Robbie McClendon, placed 14th.

With most of the program’s top runners returning, the Cougar Cross Country Teams appeared ready for a huge 2003 season. Under the guidance of Coach Scott, both teams delivered. During the season, the men’s team won at the Biola Invitational, Vanguard Invitational, and CSU Fullerton Invitational; while the women’s team won at the Vanguard Invitational and posted many other strong finishes. The men’s team cruised through Regionals, winning by a huge margin; and the women’s team posted a very close second-place finish. At Nationals, however, the women stepped up their game in a big way. The squad took third place, with senior Cara Rumble finishing a school-record fifth overall and Jenni Johnson not far behind in eighth. Meanwhile, the men’s team finished fourth at Nationals, led Chris O’Neal. Rumble, Johnson, and O’Neal were named All-Americans, and Rumble became the program’s first two-time All-American.

Coming off such a strong season, 2004 was expected to be a bit of a down year for the Cougars. However, the men’s team remained strong, wining the Vanguard Invitational and finishing third at Regionals. Though the women’s team lost much of its depth from the prior year, it was still led by outstanding runner Jenni Johnson and up-and-comer Annemarie Byrne. While the women’s team didn’t qualify for Nationals, Johnson and Byrne were invited, finishing 5th and 37th, respectively. The men’s team placed a surprising 8th place, with Daniel Lyon and Jesse Armijo finishing in the top 25. Johnson, Lyon, and Armijo were named All-Americans.

In 2005, the Cougar men’s and women’s teams continued to be competitive in the NAIA on the national level. Both teams finished in the top-3 at Regionals, and thus qualified for Nationals. Though both All-Americans on the men’s team from the previous year had graduated, the very young squad still managed an 18th place finish. On the women’s side, Annemarie Byrne came into her own, finishing 8th and leading the team to an 11th place finish. Byrne, a senior, was named an All-American.