Aug. 31, 2006

The University of Texas-Pan American men's cross country team is young and lacks experience, but the Broncs will look to establish themselves as contenders while attempting to find their identity during the 2006 season.

UTPA head men's and women's track and field and cross country coach Ricky Vaughn, who begins his fifth season, will only have three runners who are above sophomore status in the lineup during the cross country season.

The Broncs will have a trio of upperclassmen in seniors David Trevino (Brownsville, TX/Hanna H.S.), Alfredo Oviedo (Raymondville, TX/Raymondville H.S.) and junior Alex Moncivais (Pharr, TX/Texas A&M-Kingsville). Trevino has been with the program for four seasons while Oviedo and Moncivais begin their second campaign with the Broncs.

The Broncs will enter the 2006 campaign with a variety of talented runners from the Rio Grande Valley, and Vaughn believes that their high school cross country experience has prepared them for what lies ahead.

Former Edinburg North teammates Omar Doria (Edinburg, TX/Edinburg North H.S.) and Wally Gonzalez (Edinburg, TX/Edinburg North H.S.) will look to transition from successful high school careers to the collegiate level, and fellow freshman Vidal Ruiz Jr. (La Joya, TX/La Joya H.S.) will help usher in a new era in UTPA men's cross country.

Sophomores Gil Castillo (Brownsville, TX/Hanna H.S.), Juan Davila (Donna, TX/Donna H.S.), Galen Hanson (Donna, TX/Donna H.S.), J.J. Hernandez (San Juan, TX/PSJA North), Luis Nava (La Joya, TX/La Joya H.S.) and Angel Ramirez (Mission, TX/Waelder H.S.) make up one of the strongest running classes that UTPA has ever produced.

"They all come from good high school cross country programs so they understand what it means to be a part of a good team and how to work together. They are excited and motivated, and I think we are going to see some good results out of them," said Vaughn.

The Broncs have a solid team of young, talented runners led by sophomore standouts Nava and Hernandez. Nava will look to build on a successful freshman year where he earned All-South Central Regional honors, and placed just outside the top ten at both the National Independent Championships and Rice Invitational.

"Luis is going to be our number one. I'm hoping that in the regional meet he'll be in the top ten. Looking at it right now, I'd say he's definitely one of our top guys," said Vaughn.

Hernandez will build on a solid freshman year in which he competed in all five races for UTPA. A successful 2006 indoor and outdoor track and field season in which Hernandez placed in the top-ten in all five races competed in will prove to be a confidence builder as he becomes a leader on a young Broncs' team. In the summer, he also competed in the Finish Line/USA Track and Field Championships in Indianapolis, IN.

"After a year of college cross country under his belt, he's gotten stronger and understands the college cross country season a little bit better. He's going to be a solid runner, and he'll be right there with Luis. Hopefully, we can get him around the top ten," added Vaughn.

Nava and Hernandez will lead a cross country program that loses its strongest runner in school history in three-time NCAA All-American Westly Keating. The loss will mean change for a program that relied on Keating to lead the pack.

"It changes in respect that you don't have a person like Westly that's almost guaranteed he's going to win every meet. I think they will have to work together better as a group and not rely on one individual to score low," said Vaughn

The young Bronc runners will face their share of adversity, but the identity that they establish for themselves this season will only make them stronger in the future.

UTPA Sports Information