2017 Ventura College Cross Country Team News
The Ventura College women's and men's cross country teams produced historic performances Saturday at the CCCAA State Championships in Fresno. The women's team finished third overall, the program's best finish in a state-wide championship since 1977, and the best finish since they won the state small-school championship in 1983. The men, meanwhile, came in 10th overall, their best team achievement since coming in fifth in 2004.
he VC women's cross country team continued their renaissance season with a powerful runner-up finish at the Southern California Regional Championships Friday in Santa Clarita. Marissa Gonzales placed fourth to lead the way for the Pirates as VC placed five runners in the Top-41. Meanwhile, the Pirate men shaved two minutes off their combined time from the same course in September, advancing to the State Championships with a 10th place team finish. Adan Cruz led Ventura in 27th place overall.
Running in the Western State Conference Championships, the VC men finished a strong second place and the Pirate women came in third overall in the meet held at Bakersfield College. Jacob Hernandez ran in the No. 1 slot for the Pirate men for the first time all season, placing fourth overall while Marissa Gonzales led the VC women in fifth place.
The Ventura College women's cross country team pulled off a mild upset Friday at the Western State Conference Preview Meet in San Dimas. The Pirates won the meet with 46 team points, outdistancing perennial powerhouse Glendale, who finished in second with 51 points. Marissa Gonzales was the first of four VC top-10 finishers in fourth place. The Pirate men, meanwhile, also had a great finish, coming in third place overall, two points behind runner-up Bakersfield. Adan Cruz led Ventura with a sixth-place finish.
The Ventura College men's and women's cross country teams continue to shine this fall with both bringing home first place from the Bakersfield Invitational Friday. Adan Cruz won the race on the men's side, completing the 4-mile course in a season-best 21:09 for the 13-second win, while Marissa Gonzales paced the women with a fourth-place finish in the women's race running the 5k trek in 19:29. The Kern County Soccer Park course will be the host for the Western State Conference Championships on October 20.
The Ventura College women's and men's cross country teams had a strong day of running Friday at the Southern California Regional Preview Meet held at Central Park in Santa Clarita. Both teams posted their best finish in recent memory with the women coming n fourth out of 24 scoring teams while the men were eighth of 27 teams. Adan Cruz finished 9th to lead the VC men while Marissa Gonzales came in 10th place overall for the Pirate women.
The Pirates' men's and women's cross country teams took a break from their regular curcuit of races to compete in the Mark Calvert Invitational Saturday morning hosted by Cal State Fullerton. Competing against four-year schools, club teams, and community colleges, the Pirate men placed 12th of the 14 competing teams while the VC women were 14th of 16 teams. Adan Cruz led the men finishing in 32nd of 199 runners while Marissa Gonzales came in 43rd of 146 competitors.
The Pirates' men's and women's cross country teams opened up the 2017-18 athletic season, running at the Oxnard Invitational Friday morning. In nearly perfect running conditions, the VC men placed second out of seven teams while the women, running shorthanded to open the year, placed three runners in the top-12 of the 47-participant race. Adan Cruz led the Pirate men, placing seventh in the race while Fabiola Flores Gomez paced the VC women, placing ninth.
The Ventura College Athletic Department has announced that Melody Axtell has been named the women's cross country head coach. Axtell, a 2013 VC graduate, has been the assistant coach for both the men's and women's cross country teams for two years, helping lead the VC women to two CCCAA state championship appearances ns helping the men back to the state championships in 2016.