CSUN Prospects Look Promising

For the first time in 14 years, the Cal State Northridge men’s cross-country team has a legitimate shot at winning the National Collegiate Athletic Assn. Division II title, but the Matadors will not be favored.

That distinction will fall to top-ranked Edinboro (Pa.) University, the three-time defending champion, and second-ranked South Dakota State, a perennial top-three finisher and the 1985 champion.

While Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is favored to win its eighth consecutive team title in the women’s race, Northridge is looking for a top-six finish. Lady Matador junior Darcy Arreola should contend for the individual title if healthy.

Arreola, who finished 11th in the 1986 Division II meet and fifth in ‘87, won the West regional two weeks ago, but a recurring foot injury forced her to miss some workouts earlier this week.

“It’s the same injury she had before regionals,” Northridge Coach Don Strametz said. “We’ve just had her on the bike and been taping and icing the foot.”

Jill Wood of the Air Force Academy, Donna Thibert of Edinboro and Cathy Fitzpatrick of Navy are expected to challenge Arreola for the individual title.

Wood placed second in last year’s meet, but Arreola defeated her in the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo invitational this season.

Michael Moloto of Abilene Christian, a native of Kenya, is favored in the men’s race. Moloto placed sixth in the 1986 and ’87 championships and finished second last year.

Rob Edson of Keene State, the East regional champion, should challenge Moloto, along with Central region champion Craig Cassen of South Dakota State.

Jesus Gutierrez of Cal State Los Angeles--fifth last year--is another with the potential to win, even though Jim Sorensen of San Luis Obispo and Stephane Franke of Cal Poly Pomona beat him in the California Collegiate Athletic Assn. championships and West regionals.

Strametz figures that seven teams are capable of winning the men’s race.

“Edinboro and South Dakota State deserve to be the favorites,” he said. “They’ve both been there so many times. But any one of the five teams from the West region could beat them if they run a great race.”

Those five are Northridge (ranked third in the country), Cal State L.A. (fourth), Humboldt State (fifth), San Luis Obispo (sixth) and UC Riverside (ninth).

Sasha Vujic (fifth in the West regional) and Jorge Castro (seventh) will lead the Northridge men in an attempt to improve upon the second-place finish of the 1975 team.

The women’s 5,000-meter race and the men’s 10,000-meter race will both be held at Mountain Manor Country Club.