Program History

Started in 1999, the Cal State San Marcos Track & Field Team has been competitive since the beginning. Coach Steve Scott, a former Olympian and member of the United State Track and Field Hall of Fame, was selected as the inaugural coach of the team, and continues to lead them to national prominence within the NAIA.

Since the program was created in the fall of 1999, the first season it participated in was the spring 2000. From the very first event, the Cougar men and women’s track teams fit right in to the NAIA competitive landscape. At the Carl Rossi Relays in February 2000, the Cougar men won the distance medley event; and were in the mix in many others. The teams continued to build throughout the season, tallying many strong finishes along the way. An amazing 17 athletes from the pioneering team qualified for Nationals, and nine of those were named All-Americans. At Nationals, the men’s team placed 16th overall, and the women’s placed 19th overall; very strong showings for a program in its first year.

In 2001, Coach Scott guided the Cougars to another successful season. Once again, 17 Cougar athletes qualified for Nationals, proving the previous year was not a fluke. On the men’s side, David Kloz finished second in the marathon, and James Adams finished fourth in the 1,500-meter. For the women’s team, Renee MacDonald placed fifth in the 10,000-meter and sixth in the 5,000-meter, and Lanelle Cox finished sixth in the 3,000-meter. All four were named All-Americans.

With two great seasons in the books, one would figure the Cougar men’s and women’s track teams would be in for a rebuilding season in 2002. Not so, however, as Coach Steve Scott prevented the team from having any kind of letdown. Scott and assistant coach Wes Williams had the team compete in more events than in the prior years, preparing them for the season-ending Nationals. It paid off, as nine Cougars earned All-American honors at the event, including both the women’s 4x100 and 4x400 relay teams, freshman Autumn Wright, and junior Anthony Blackshear.

2003 marked another strong showing for Coach Scott’s Track and Field teams. Following the season, 15 Cougar athletes were invited to Nationals. With Pole Vault Coach Dan Karrer on board, CSUSM earned its first All-American in a Field event, as Jimmy Barbour placed fourth. High jumper Donald Harris also placed sixth in his event and was named an All-American. Finally, the men’s 4x800-meter relay team finished fourth, bringing the total of Cougar All-Americans to six for the season.

Though some of the depth from the 2003 team was lost, 2004 marked a very exciting year for the Cougars. Throughout the year, senior Cara Rumble was touted by Coach Scott as potentially the top runner in the NAIA. Rumble, already a cross country star, qualified for Nationals in the marathon event. At the event, Rumble blew away the competition, shattering the school record and challenging the NAIA record with a time of 2.49:30. She became the first Cougar ever to win a National Championship event. On the men’s side, Kris Houghton placed third in the 5,000-meter run, earning All-American status as well.

With many of its top athletes graduating, the young 2004 Cougar Track Teams still posted solid seasons. In fact, Coach Scott sent a school-record 20 athletes to Nationals, despite having just two seniors on the entire roster. At Nationals, Meggie Afenir, the men’s 4x800-meter relay team, and the women’s 4x400-meter all finished seventh in their respective events. Unfortunately, only the top six finishers in each event earn All-American status.

The 2006 season began strong, with Samantha Showns and Bonghabih “Bee-Bee” Shey earning All-American status at the NAIA Indoor Track & Field Championships. A young men’s team showed promise throughout the year, but failed to qualify an athletes for Nationals. On the women’s side, cross-country star Annemarie Byrne qualified in two events, and the Cougars women had seven other qualifiers. Byrne placed fourth in the 10,000-meter run, and Bee-Bee Shey placed fifth in the 800-meter run. Both were named All-Americans. The women’s 4x400-meter relay team just missed earning All-American status, finishing seventh.