The Sacramento State cross country team concluded its 2001 season Saturday with a 19th pace finish from the men and a 20th place finish from the women at the NCAA West Regionals in Tucson, Ari.

Stanford University advanced to the NCAA Championships in Greenville, S.C. by taking first place in both the men’s and women’s races.

“I thought both teams performed well,” said Hornet head coach Joe Neff. “It was a tough year however.”

The Hornets’ 2001 campaign was one marked with injuries. For the men’s team, senior Dustin Diaz missed all but two meets with a shoulder injury. Diaz finished in first place among Hornet men in both of the meets he ran. Senior Eric Mencarini missed all but two meets with personal reasons. Mencarini finished second in the two meets in which he competed.

For the Hornet women, junior Melissa Madeson missed the entire season with a knee injury. Madeson was awarded with all-Big Sky in 2000, and was expected to be the Hornets top runner for the women this year. The Sac State’s women’s contingent missed junior Molly Peterson for the first half of the season with a lower leg injury.

“Most of the injuries came as a result from injuries of the prior year,” Neff said.

The Hornet men’s team finished 19th out of 20 teams in the 10-kilometer race and was led by junior Mike Santarosa. Santarosa finished in 100th place with a time of 35 minutes, 34.00 seconds. Santarosa finished first among Hornet men in three out of six meets this year.

Following Santarosa across the finish line in the were senior Cuco Chavez (105th place, 35:46.10), junior Tony Elwell (119th place, 37:24.30), sophomore Dustin Beauchamp (120th place, 37:31.30) and freshman Bobby McNeil (125th place, 38:27.50).

“For most of the men, this was the longest race they have ran in their lives,” Neff said.

Peterson finished first among Hornet women for the first time all year with a 78th place overall finish (24:10.50) in the six-kilometer race. Peterson was followed by sophomore Tina Limon (81st place, 24:15.10), senior Sara Swan (110th place, 24:59.90), freshman Angela Mercado (114th place, 25:04.50) and sophomore Annette Corey (131st place, 25:37.50).

To cap off a year full of injuries, Corey, who had finished first among Hornet women in all but one race prior to the regional event, was slowed down Saturday due to a cramp in her side. Corey was also awarded Big Sky runner of the week after her ninth place finish at the San Francisco State Invitational on Oct. 6.

Despite a discouraging 2001 campaign, things look bright for the future of the Hornets’ cross country program. The only runners who will not return next year will be Chavez for the men, and Swan for the women. The Hornets will see the return of Diaz and Madeson from injury, and junior Jacob Mills who red shirted this season.

“I can guarantee that next year’s team will be very good,” Neff said.