After a year where the program successfully built numbers and some stability in the ranks, the Pacific cross country programs are poised to take their next step forward in 2011.

Head Coach Tim Boyce and his staff have succeeded in building the programs up to the point there is no longer a question of whether or not the Boxers would field complete teams. Pacific was fully represented in all seven meets they competed in last year.

Once again numbers are up for Pacific. A total of 10 runners are out on the men’s side of the roster, while 13 are running on the women’s side. Those numbers are right along the targets of what Boyce sees as optimal. “If we can attract more athletes than that, it’s awesome,” Boyce said, “but the history of the program has been one where we’ve been on the edge and if we lost on person that would dramatically affect our chance to score as a team. Now we feel more comfortable with where we are at on both sides.”

With numbers up, the Boxers can now focus more on performance. The team returns a core of seven runners on the men’s side, paced by Joe Deardorff (Jr., Independence, Ore.) And two experienced seniors in John Gillem (Prineville, Ore.) and John Cushman (Lakewood, Wash.). The women are younger with only five returners, all of which have one year or less of collegiate cross country experience.

What the Boxers lack in experience they have made up with in hard work. “Our athletes did a good job of training over the summer, as indicated in our initial two weeks of practice,” Boyce said. “We’re optimistic that this could be a really good year for our cross country team.”

Much like they did during the 2010 season, Boyce has set the 2011 schedule up for the best potential for confidence building and success prior to the Northwest Conference Championships. The Boxers will run in smaller meets until that point, with the largest field expected for the Linfield Preview on Sept. 24, which will be on the same course as the NWC Championships. The schedule even includes a rare dual meet against George Fox on Oct. 1.

MEN
The core of five men’s returners will make a difference in developing a Pacific team still on the younger side. Deardorff, who has twice been the team’s most valuable runner, finished in the top-20 in the Boxers’ first three races, running a season best 26:15 at the Warner Pacific Open that ranks him No. 18 all-time at the 8,000-meter distance. He finished 32nd at the 2010 NWC Championships.

“Joe used this summer to get healthy after being a bit banged up during the track season,” Boyce said. “He is running well now. I am excited to see what he can do as a third year runner for us.”

Gillem spent most of the 2010 season as the Boxers’ No. 3 runner. He ran a season best 27:09 at the Warner Pacific Open and has proven to be a very consistent performer the last two seasons. Cushman benefited last year on concentrating on running after wrestling for Pacific in his first two seasons. He moved from the No. 5 spot on the team to the No. 3 position, running a season best 27:11 at the Warner Pacific meet.

Boyce is excited about having the level of experience with the team that Deardorff, Gillem and Cushman provide. It’s luxury that the head coach hasn’t had in his first four years leading the program. “It’s nice to finally have that kind of experience,” Boyce said. “Both Johns have had good summers of training and have run well in our initial workouts. We’re counting on them to run up front for us all year long.”

Dan Flora (Jr., North Bend, Ore.) put in his best summer of training and is poised to step up his impact on the program. Flora spent most of 2010 as the No. 5 runner, clocking his best of 27:29 at the Warner Pacific Open. Josh Siva (So., Gig Harbor, Wash.) returns after anchoring the bottom end of the top-seven. He ran his season best of 28:56.45 at the Willamette Invitational.

Rudy Sanchez (So., Albany, Ore.) and Wes Porter (Jr., Elk Grove, Calif.) will look to move up into the top-seven after solid summers of training. Sanchez started last season in the top-seven, but found his performance limited by injuries as the year progressed. Porter spent much of the year as the team’s No. 8 runner, clocking his season best of 29:05.96 at September’s Linfield Preview.

Junior transfer Jerry Sanchez (Jr., Mecca, Calif.) comes to Pacific with a chance to make an immediate impact in the team’s top-five. He was the most valuable runner in his second year at College of the Desert in Palm Desert, Calif., posting a best of 20:55 in the junior college four-mile distance. As a prep runner, Sanchez clocked 16:06 over 5,000 meters and was as fast as 10:16 over 3,200 meters on the track.

“Jerry has been a real surprise for us and a great addition to the team,” Boyce said. “He has the potential to be a team leader in a number ways and has the potential to be a front runner for us.”

Ryan Baxter (Fr., Craig, Alaska) and Michael Monahan (Fr., Williams, Ore.) rounds out the men’s roster. Baxter was a four-sport athlete in high school and qualified for the Alaska state championships twice. Monahan earned First Team All-Skyline Conference honors as a senior, running a personal best of 17:01 at 5,000 meters.

WOMEN
While the Pacific women’s team has grown to a roster of 13 runners, it is a youthful program. Only one runner enters 2011 with more than a year of experience of college cross country.

The one runner who does come back with two years of experience is primed for her best season ever. Jilinda Franklin (Jr., Fort Jones, Calif.) made dramatic improvement from the start of the 2010 season. After starting as the No. 4 and 5 runner, Franklin was a high as No. 2 towards the end of the year. Her time of 19:42 over 5,000 meters at the Warner Pacific Open is 14th best in school history. Franklin ran her 6,000-meter best of 25:19.61 at the Linfield Preview, ranking her 18th all-time for the Boxers.

“Jilinda is a great young woman who is dedicated and works super hard,” Boyce said. “As always, she reported to school fit and ready to go. I am excited to see what her junior year brings.”

A trio of sophomores stands poised to challenge for the No. 1 spot as well. Kiersten Iwai (So., San Diego, Calif.) was consistently the team’s No. 2 runner from start to finish. Her 6,000-meter best time of 25:02.93, run at the NWC Championships, is 17th fastest in program history. Ally Shackelford (So., Portland Ore.) was the Boxers’ No. 2 runner at the NWC Championships. Her time of 25:00.42 at the meet ranks just ahead of Iwai on the all-time list.

Punneh Abdolhosseini (So., Seattle, Wash.) opened the year in the No. 7 position and was the team’s No. 5 runner at the NCAA West Region meet. She ran a best of 25:43.38 at the NWC Championships. “Kiersten, Punneh and Ally have all done really well in their initial workouts,” Boyce said. “We’re excited to get some strong leadership from them.”

Kori Bellwood (So., Yamhill, Ore.) showed potential in the two meets that she ran in for the Boxers in addition to her sprint and hurdle work for the track and field program. Nicole Smith (Sr., Wailuku, Hawaii) ran two meets as the Boxers’ No. 6 or No. 7 runner, contributing to the team while running to condition for the track and field season.

Of the team’s seven newcomers, Boyce believes Rachel Schreiber (Fr., Longmont, Colo.) may have a chance to be the biggest impact to Pacific’s success. Schreiber owns a personal best of 19:52 over 5,000 meters, finishing eighth as a senior at her Colorado regional meet.

Caitlyn Reilley (Fr., Reedsport, Ore.) was an Oregon 2A state meet qualifier as a senior and finished 22nd individually, earning Honorable Mention All-State distinction. Lorena LaBarbera (Fr., Bonners Ferry, Idaho) owns a personal best of 22:59 over 5,000 meters and has run in track everything from 200 meters to 3,200 meters. Cyan Agena (Fr., Honolulu, Hawaii) ran 21:56 at the 2009 Hawaii state championships and competed at the 2011 Hawaii state track and field championships in both 100-meter and 300-meter hurdles.

Hayley Palmer (Fr., Sisters, Ore.) was a four-year varsity letterwinner in cross country and ran a personal best of 21:56 over 5,000 meters. Jessica Hattig (Fr., Portland, Ore.) and Jenna Matsumoto (Jr., Kailua, Hawaii) round out the roster. Matsumoto gives cross country a try after using up four years of soccer eligibility. She made end up in the top-seven based on her early training efforts.