Women’s cross country: Winning is habit for Bucs

Steve Virgen

COSTA MESA - The streak ended last year. There was no four-peat for

the Orange Coast College women’s cross country team.

The Pirates missed out on the opportunity to give OCC its

fourth-straight state title, an unprecedented feat within the women’s

cross country program.

Yet, the standard has been set. It seems as if every year, the Pirates

will be aiming for a state title. Though the 2001 Pirates are young, the

goals won’t change. Coach John Goldman will use the same philosophy he

has used in his past five years at the school: build improvement in each

athlete, yet focus on the power of teamwork.

“I don’t really set the bar for them,” Goldman said of the Pirates’

winning standard. “I let them do that. Our goal is to see improvement in

our athletes. I want to put the team performance at the top of their list

of priorities. I think this team has a good chance to do some outstanding

things this year.”

“The expectations from everybody is for them to win state,” Goldman

continued. “We want them to do well, but if they don’t win state they

didn’t blow it. The women’s team was second in the state last year. And

that’s a good year.”

Also included in their “good year,” the Pirates won the Orange Empire

Conference title for the fifth straight year and Heather Shurtleff, who

is now at Concordia University, ran to a state championship.

Goldman said, OCC’s top runner this year will most likely be sophomore

Lindsay Allen, who finished 16th in state and fourth in the OEC last

year. She will look to provide leadership and Goldman says she appears to

be in great shape.

Jennifer Urbieta also returns for the Pirates. Goldman said Urbieta

suffered a minor setback earlier this month when she sprained her ankle,

but she will be fine and ready for the season when OCC will travel north

for the Antelope Valley Invitational Sept. 7.

Much of the Pirates’ hopes will be placed on the incoming freshman,

which features Cypress High products Michelle Icban and Suzette Dinoso,

among others. Roseanne Peters, from Fountain Valley High, runs a 5:11 in

the mile and Newport Harbor product Natalie St. Andre will also attempt

to maintain the OCC standard.

“She’ll be one of our stronger runners this year,” Goldman said of St.

Andre.

Also Katie Mais of Los Alamitos and 27-year-old rookie Heather Huggins

will add character to a team that Goldman says has developed friendships.

Huggins, discovered by Goldman while watching runners in a physical

education session, has never competed in cross country, but the OCC coach

is confident she will turn some heads and maybe even leave some behind.

“I was out at P.E. last year,” Goldman said. “And looking at her run,

I thought, ‘this girl has some talent.’ ”

In one of Goldman’s run-race drills, Huggins placed second, much to

the coach’s delight.

The newcomers will also be highlighted by Cal State Fullerton transfer

Latrice Donaldson, who has already started to make her presence felt on

the team.

“She’s come in and has made an extremely strong impact,” Goldman said

of Donaldson. “She is really excited about being part of the team. She’s

a very hard worker. We know she’s going to be a tremendous asset.”

ORANGE COAST COLLEGE

WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY TEAM

Lindsey Allen So.

Julia Crawfis Fr.

Suzette Dinoso Fr.

Latrice Donaldson Fr.

Natalie Elliot Fr.

Yunuen Evada Fr.

Heather Huggins Fr.

Michelle Icban Fr.

Janay Jordan Fr.

Katie Mais Fr.

Roseann Peters Fr.

Jackie Scrugs Fr.

Natalie St. Andre Fr.

Carrie Royed So.

Jennifer Urbieta So.

Patricia Gutierrez So.

Coach: John Goldman

Assistants: Dave Fier and John Knox