CSUN’s Castro to Redshirt for Cross-Country Season

Jorge Castro of Cal State Northridge, a two-time NCAA Division II All-American, said Friday that he will redshirt the 1990 cross-country season, CSUN’s first at the Division I level.

Castro cited a need to concentrate on schoolwork, find a part-time job, and take a break from the rigors of competitive running. He said he also might redshirt the 1991 track and field season.

“That’s my plan right now,” said Castro, who placed 11th in last year’s Division II cross-country championships in Marshalls Creek, Pa. “But I’ll have to see how the fall semester goes before I make a final decision about track.”

Castro, a 1987 graduate of Ramona High, was the No. 2 runner on last year’s Matador cross-country team that placed fifth in the Division II meet, the highest finish by a Northridge men’s team since a runner-up finish in 1975.

“I’ve thought about (redshirting) for a while, and this just seems like the time to do it,” said Castro, who placed 26th in the 1987 Division II meet as a freshman. “I need a break from running for a little bit.”

A disappointing end to his junior track and field season last month played a big role in Castro’s decision.

After recovering from injuries suffered in an April bicycling accident, Castro placed fourth in the 1,500 meters in the California Collegiate Athletic Assn. championships at UC Riverside, then qualified for the Division II meet with a personal best of 3 minutes 49.60 seconds at the Santa Monica Distance Carnival a week later.

He contracted a case of bronchitis at nationals, however, and dropped out of the 1,500 final.

“That was pretty much the straw that broke the camel’s back,” Castro said. “It seems like every year in track I set (personal records), but it never ends with a great race. I’d like that to change.”

for The Times