PVCC Puma Press: December 2004

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	Proud to be national champions, the men’s and women’s cross-country teams consist of (from the top row, left to right:Coach David Barney; Jorge Machado; Santos Castro; Ryan Nelson; Boyd Howery; Victor Mendoza; Daniel Kanyaruhuru Middle row: Cory Romine Bottom row, left to right: Chrysten Baca; Angela Petersen; Stephanie Willard; Alicia Strnad; Sereena Harmon; Nicole Dodgen; Amy Holly.
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On Nov. 6, the cross-country program tightened their grip on the necks of the rest of the nation as both the men’s and women’s teams won National Junior College Athletic Association Division I. national titles in El Paso, Texas.

Combined, the teams beat some of the top cross-country programs in the nation, including prior three-time defending men’s champions, Rend Lake Community College, of Rend Lake, Illinois. Other top schools at Nationals were Central Arizona Community College, Yavapai Community College, Pima Community College, and Lansing Community College, of Lansing, Michigan.

Head PVCC cross country coach, Dave Barney, says of his teams, “Both teams were losing with 1 mile left, but they dug deep and pulled out the win.”

Daniel Kanyaruhuru led the way for the champion Pumas as he finished 4th overall with a time of 24.54.95, just 1.13.80 seconds behind the overall champion, Obed Mutanya. Mutanya, of Central Arizona, ran a 23.41.15 in the victory.

The now four-time champion women’s team was led by 11th place overall finisher Sereena Harmon who ran a time of 19.09.85, just 1.83.82 behind the overall champion, Butler County College’s (Kans.) Diane Nikkuri, who ran a 17.36.03.

“For both teams to win the title was sweet,” says Barney. “It was the fourth straight title for the women, but the first National title for the men. “They finally got over the hump after a handful of second and third place finishes in previous years.”

Besides winning the national title, 11 runners, seven men and four women earned NJCAA Div. I All-American honors. Daniel Kanyaruhuru, Ryan Nelson, Jorge Machado, Victor Mendoza, Cory Romine, Boyd Howery and Santos Castro all graciously accepted their honors for the men. The women All-Americans included Sereena Harmon, Angela Petersen, Stephanie Willard and Chrysten Baca.

In addition to all of the teams’ accolades, Coach Barney swept both men’s and women’s NJCAA Div. I National Coach of the Year awards, selected by fellow coaches around the nation. “This was the first time I’ve won the men’s’ award. It feels unbelievable,” says Barney.

The Pumas prepared for Nationals all the way from the beginning of the season. Barney says, “We focus as hard as any school in the nation in goal setting and building a team.”

Barney promotes the concept of planting the seeds of dreams early. He encourages his student athletes to set goals and he takes a nurturing theme for his team. “We want the teammates to make sacrifices and extra efforts for each other, while building a close family,” says Barney.

With the women winning their fourth straight national title and the men’s team winning its first, Barney believes that his program is in the midst of a dynasty, and numbers don’t lie. In the 10 years that PVCC has fielded men’s and women’s cross-country teams, the men’s team has won 6 straight regional titles and one national title, while the women have rattled off 5 national titles, in addition to multiple region titles.

Barney believes that his program is on the right track for continued success.

He says, “To continue winning at the Division I level is going to get tougher. We’ll be wearing a bulls-eye on our backs even more now. We’re just going to have to keep doing the same things and work a little harder.” The Pumas will also look to hopefully benefit from recruiting even more than in years past. Barney says, “Nothing is guaranteed at this level, but winning dual National titles will definitely help recruiting a little.”

Barney credits his recent years’ success to having the athletes believe in themselves and their abilities, while visualizing themselves achieving their goals. “Before Nationals started I told the team to picture themselves standing on the podium, accepting their trophy,” says Barney.

Positive thinking is one of Barney’s key elements in moving toward achieving a goal.

In the shadow of the victories for the Puma cross-country teams was the way that the PVCC athletes conducted themselves. Former three-time champion and annual powerhouse Rend Lake College’s Head Coach Brent McClain says on a phone message to Coach Barney, “Me and my team were very impressed with the class and morals that your teams exhibited during the awards ceremony. Getting beat by you makes it easier for us to deal with defeat.”

McClain was referring to when his team was announced as the third-place finisher and his guys were disappointed from the loss. The Pumas men’s team rose and gave them a standing ovation. “We learned a lesson that day. This is how we want our team to act,” says McClain.
Barney adds, “One of the most impressive facts of this season and its unbelievable ending is the fact that we were forced to move up from Division II to Division I. At this level, schools can recruit foreign runners and house and feed them, something we can’t do.”