VU men are ‘best ever’

Steve Virgen

Vanguard University Coach Bryan Wilkins has said his men’s cross

country team is the best he’s seen in his 13 years at the school. Now

comes time for the Lions to show their stuff.

The evolution of the Vanguard men’s cross country team comes at an

opportune time because, Wilkins said, the race for the Golden State

Athletic Conference title is wide open. Meanwhile, the VU women will

concentrate on getting the most out of their top individual runners.

“The group of men I have is the best team I ever had,” said

Wilkins, who has been coaching the Lions since the program began in

1989. “I think this team will be better than the 1994 and ’95 teams

that qualified for the nationals. This year we are going to turn some

heads.”

Tony Magana, a junior transfer from Orange Coast College, will be

leading the way for the Lions this season. He transferred to Vanguard

in the spring and completed a standout season for the Lions’ track

and field team. He finished sixth in the 10,000 meters in the NAIA

Championships. Wilkins said Magana has a solid chance to win the GSAC

individual championship this season.

Robbie Jones, a senior who is also originally from Orange Coast,

also figures to be one of the front runners for Vanguard. Jones

earned all-conference honors last year, as he finished 11th in the

GSAC Championship meet. He broke the school-course record at Woodward

Park with a 26:17, which was faster than the previous best set by

Josh Schultz (27:21 in 2000). He finished 24th in the NAIA Region II

season-ending meet.

The Lions’ team captain, senior Steve Lalim, adds stability and

depth. He also finished with better time than the previous Vanguard

record at Woodward Park. He came in at 27:10, and finished 18th.

The Lions will also have Swedish-born Mikael Larsson, a junior

transfer from Nicholls State

Vanguard finished seventh in the 10-team field last year, while

Cal Baptist won its fourth straight title. However, Wilkins said Cal

Baptist won’t be as dominant as years past, and he expects the Lions

to take full advantage.

“It’s wide open this year,” Wilkins said of the GSAC. “Our men’s

team will be right in the hunt with three or four other teams. Our

men can place anywhere from first and fifth. I think we have the

personnel to make a run at the title this year. Our guys are real

motivated and excited about it.

“We have five or six guys who can crack the top 20,” Wilkins

continued. “And, if we do that we have as good a chance as anyone to

win conference. We have never won conference. We were in third place

in ’94 and ‘95, and that’s the highest we ever been. We’re hoping to

tread on some new ground this year.”

On the women’s side, junior Sarah Hall and sophomore Liz Huipe and

Jenny Thune return for the Lions. The three runners will vie for the

Lions’ No. 1 position. Thune ended last season with the top spot, as

she finished 26th in the GSAC Championship meet with a 5K clocking of

19:53, a personal best. Her previous best was 21:19.

Huipe, the former Estancia High standout, came in 32nd last year,

finishing in 19:57. She has improved throughout the off-season, and

is on course to set personal records.

Freshmen Carry McIntyre and Bridgete Longsdale, who are sophomores

academically, round out the team’s roster.

The Vanguard teams will open their season Aug. 31, at the Cal

State Fullerton Invitational at Carbon Canyon Park in Brea.