Aug. 29, 2007

Fullerton, Calif. -

Season Preview

Men - The Titan men start a new era in 2007 after the graduation of Jordan Horn, an All-Big West Conference cross country runner in 2006 and national qualifier in the 10000 meters last spring in track. This year's roster of 14 runners includes nine underclassmen.

Although the 2007 squad may lack experience, they make up for it in talent. Leading the youth movement is freshman standout Brent Handa (Fall River HS). Handa was among the top high school seniors in the state last year and ran a personal best of 9:11.46 for 3200 meters last spring in track. Other freshmen competing for the top seven spots are Chris Cattern (Chino Hills HS), Sean Laurino (El Toro HS) and Jeff Mackay (Chino Hills HS). Another newcomer expected to make an impact this year is junior transfer Sean April (CSU San Marcos).

The top returning runners include senior Cory Vaselenko and sophomores Sergio Tapia and Eddie Perez. Tapia is coming off a strong freshman campaign in track, and Vaselenko and Perez have elevated their fitness over the summer and look to make big improvements this year.

"I'm very excited about this year's men's squad," said Head Coach John Elders. "We're young, but, despite our youth, I think we could develop into a team that can compete in the upper half of the Big West Conference."

Women - The Titan women's team may be the deepest and most talented squad in the program's history.

Leading the way are freshmen Grace Gonzales (Ayala HS) and Erin Griffith (Capistrano Valley HS). Gonzales posted the eighth fastest time for seniors in the state meet last season with a time of 18:18 on the Woodward Park course. Griffith, one of the top prep distance runners in Orange Country last year, posted a time of 18:19 on the famous Mt. SAC course. Both Gonzales and Griffith posted times of 11:00 and 11:01, respectively, during their senior track seasons. Another newcomer to watch is junior college transfer Denise Vega. Vega was one of the top middle-distance runners in the state last year while competing for Mt. SAC.

Top returning runners include Andrea Aguilar (So.), Carolyn Ellis (So.), Amanda Eichmann (Jr.), Juliane Masciana (Sr.), and Gail Munoz (So.). Masciana was the top finisher for the Titans at the 2006 conference cross country championships and placed third in the 3000m steeplechase at the 2006 conference meet. Ellis returns to the team after sitting out with injuries in 2006-07, but demonstrated her ability by running 10:07 for 3000m during the winter indoor season. Eichmann hopes to duplicate the success she has had during the last two track seasons in which she placed 4th & 5th in the 3000m steeplechase at the Big West Championships.

As freshmen in 2006, Aguilar and Munoz consistently ran in the top positions for the team and, after a strong freshman track campaigns and a great summer of training, both look to take their running to another level this season. A potential surprise contributor could be red-shirt freshman Yomaira Hernandez (Buena Park HS). She has demonstrated a high level of fitness in early season workouts.

"Our women have the potential to be an outstanding team this year and possibly compete for the top spots in the Big West Conference," said Elders. "You can sense the excitement among the ladies, and I'm looking forward to a great year."