2008-2009 Concordia University Cross Country Player Profiles
Men's Cross Country Bios
Jessy Brown
Year: Junior
Hometown: Gresham, Ore.
Previous School: Reynolds H.S./Mt. Hood C.C.
Prior to CU: Conference champion in the 800 and the 1,500 at Reynolds High School in 2002... School record holder at Reynolds (1:54.6)... Three-time All-American Southern Region/NWACC at Mt. Hood Community College (2002-03/2007-08).
Personal: Graduate of Reynolds High School in Gresham... Runs 5k's to benefit cancer research... Did three tours in two combat zones... Enjoys running, camping, hiking and studying... Majoring in business... Born June 2, 1983 in Eugene, Ore... Son of Connie... Has one sister, Ashley... He's engaged to Sarah Bernal and the couple is expecting a baby on March 24, 2009.
Eric Burck
Year: Senior
Hometown: Ephrata, Wash.
Previous School: Ephrata H.S./Spokane Falls C.C.
2007 XC: Led the Cavaliers in all seven meets... Placed fourth at Lewis & Clark Invite in 26:18... Was 53rd at Bob Firman Invite in 26:57... Ran a season best 25:24 to place 30th at Willamette Invite and become the fourth fastest Cavalier ever over 8,000 meters... Placed 21st at Pete Steilberg in 27:29... Earned All-CCC honors after a sixth-place finish in 26:37... Placed fourth at the NAIA Region I Championships in 25:32 to earn All-Region I honors to capture an individual berth to the NAIA national meet... Placed 44th at the NAIA championships in 25:40 to become the highest placer in Cavalier harrier history.
Prior to CU: State XC Champion... Competed at Spokane Falls Community College... Was All-American in the 5,000 and 10,000 in track.
Personal: Graduate of Ephrata High School in Washington... Volunteers at local track meets... Enjoys mountain biking, hiking and camping... Majoring in physical education/health... Born June 5, 1987 in Moses Lake, Wash... Son of Bob and Jean... Has one brother, Evan, and one sister, Leah.
Josh Burrus
Year: Freshman
Hometown: Vancouver, Wash.
Previous School: Heritage H.S.
Prior to CU: All-League as a sophomore, junior and senior in cross country... All-state runner as junior with a 32rd-place finish... PR's of 2:01 (800), 4:28 (1,60m), and 9:51 (3,200).
Personal: Graduate of Heritage High School in Washington... Volunteers at Humane Society... Was member of FLBA and DECA in high school... Enjoys basketball, tennis and watching movies... Majoring in business... Born June 22, 1990 in Spokane, Wash... Son of Bill and Peggy... Has one younger brother, Trevor.
Cordero Cisneros
Year: Junior
Hometown: Grandview, Wash.
Previous School: Grandview H.S./Spokane Falls C.C.
Prior to CU: Competed in cross country, basketball and track and field all four years of high school... Ran cross and track at Spokane Falls Community College... Personal record of 25:33 in the 8k in cross country...Track PRs of 1:52 in the 800 and 4:00 in the 1,500.
Personal: Graduate of Grandview High School in Washington... Was in National Honor Society... Enjoys fishing and hunting... Majoring in counseling... Born October 30, 1986 in Prosser, Wash... Son of Lorenzo and Marlene... Has two sisters, Emily and Melissa.
Charles Cummings
Year: Sophomore
Hometown: Yakima, Wash.
Previous School: Wapato H.S./Virginia Intermont Univ./Spokane Falls CC
Prior to CU: After playing basketball and baseball as a freshman, participated in cross country and track final three years in high school... Was most improved in baseball as a freshman and best newcomer in cross country as a sophomore... Captain of the cross country and track teams as a junior and again as a senior... Junior year XC: Hawaii Invite Champ, league champ, district champ, all-state (fourth), Borderclash competitor and Yakima Valley Male Athlete of the Year... Junior year track: League and district champ in the 1,600 and the 3,200, all-state (third) in the 1,600 and the 3,200m... Senior year XC: League and district champion, all-state (second), Nike Team Nationals competitor, Male Co-Athlete of the Year... Senior year track: District champ in the 1,600 and the 3,200, all-state (second) in the 1,600... Attended Virginia Intermont and redshirted before transferring to Spokane Falls Community College... Freshman year XC: Bellevue Invite champion in 25:17, All-American, Most Inspirational male athlete... Freshman year track: All-American in the steeplechase... Sophomore year XC: All-American.
Personal: Graduate of Eisenhower High School in Washington... Camp Counselor at Clear Lake-White Pass Running Camp for past four years... Enjoys playing baseball, basketball, traveling and listening to music... Majoring in physical education... Born December 17, 1986 in Seattle, Wash... Son of Michael and Nieves... Has one younger brother, Timothy.
Chris Grever
Year: Junior
Hometown: Bend, Ore.
Previous School: Bend H.S.
2007 XC: Redshirted.
2006 XC: Was in top seven for all seven races, scoring in one... Placed 15th in 27:00 for 7k at Eagle Invite... Was 46th in 27:31 at Sundodger... Ran 27:17 for 158th at Willamette... Ran 28:09 for 25th place at Conference Preview... Was eleventh in 27:30 at Pete Steilberg... Placed 21st in the conference and 33rd in the region in 27:43 as the sixth runner on the conference and regional championship team... Placed 229th in 28:25 as the team placed 20th at the NAIA National Championships.
2005 XC: Scored in every meet for the Cavaliers... Placed 16th in 28:05 in first collegiate XC meet at Pacific... PR'd in 27:07 at Lewis & Clark to place 19th... Placed 70th in 26:21 at Sundodger... Ran third consecutive PR in 26:08 at Willamette Invite to place 66th... Was 38th at Conference Preview in 27:40... Placed 16th at the CCC Championships and 24th at the NAIA Region I meet with a 26:48.
Prior to CU: Four year cross country athlete in high school... JV district champ as sophomore... Participated in state as a junior and again as a senior, placing in the top 25 as a senior... District champion and 10th-place finish at state in the 3,000 as a senior in only year of track.
Personal: Graduate of Bend High School in Oregon... Enjoys poker, school and running... Majoring in finance... Wants to own a business and coach... Born October 25, 1986 in Portland, Ore.... Son of Dave and Mary Lou... Has one younger brother, Cody, and three younger sisters, Jezra, Lupe and Patricia.
Hassan Khalif
Year: Junior
Hometown: Seattle, Wash.
Previous School: Highline H.S./Highline C.C./Lewis-Clark State College
Prior to CU: Most Improved as a freshman at Highline Community College... MVP of team and conference as sophomore at HCC... Broke Lewis-Clark State school record in the 3,000 (8:49)... Set PR's of 1:54 (800), 3:57 (1500), 8:49 (3,000), 15:08 (5,000), and 32:20 (10,000) at Lewis-Clark State.
Personal: Graduate of Highline High School in Washington... Born December 20, 1986 in Somalia.
Martin Romero-Clark
Year: Junior
Hometown: Portland, Ore.
Previous School: Benson Polytechnic H.S.
2007 XC: Redshirted.
2006 XC: Scored in every meet for the Cavaliers, and was the top finisher at the NAIA championships... Ran 24:31 for 7k at the Eagle Invite to place second overall... Ran under 26:00 for the first time ever to place 20th at Sundodger with a time of 25:28... Set personal record of 25:21 to place 25th at Willamette and to become third fastest harrier ever in Cavalier history over the 8k distance... Placed ninth at Conference Preview in 27:21... Was fourth at Pete Steilberg meet in 26:32... Placed ninth at the CCC Championships and 17th at the NAIA Region I meet in 27:01... Led Cavaliers to a 20th-place team finish after crossing in 46th place with a 25:58 at NAIA.
2005 XC: Was team's second runner in all but one meet... Placed 12th in 27:44 at Pacific Invite... Was 15th in 26:57 at Lewis & Clark... Ran 26:19 at Sundodger to place 65th... Placed 72nd in 26:14 for third straight PR at Willamette... Placed 20th in 27:04 at Conference preview... Finished in 15th at the CCC Championships and 22nd at the NAIA Region I meet with a 26:43.
Prior to CU: Competed in cross country for four years and track the final three years in high school... Played baseball as a freshman... Was fifth as a junior and third as a senior at the district cross country meet... Placed second in the district 800 during junior and senior seasons... Fourth at state as a senior in 800... State champion as junior and senior as a member of the 1,600-meter relay... Guided team to a state championship as a junior... PR's of 50.4 (400), 1:54.5 (800), 4:02 (1,500), 9:09 (3,000), and 3:20 (1,600 relay) in high school.
Personal: Graduate of Benson Polytechnic H.S. in Oregon... Volunteers at local cross country meets... Enjoys hanging out with friends, eating, sleeping, working out, listening to music and relaxing... Majoring in business... Born February 3, 1987 in Portland, Ore... Son of Isiah and Karen... Isiah ran cross country and track in college... Has one brother, Louis and one sister, Jasmyne... Jasmyne is an age-group World Record holder in the 100-meter dash.
Matthew Smith
Year: Junior
Hometown: Gladstone, Ore.
Previous School: Jesuit H.S.
2007 XC: Earned team's Most Improved award... Placed in top three for the team in each of the five meets in which he competed... Was 28th in 27:33 at Lewis & Clark... Placed 87th at Bob Firman in 28:04... Was 45th in 29:21 at Pete Steilberg... Ran 29:00 to place 50th at CCC Championships... Ran 27:44 to place 63rd at the NAIA Region I meet.
2006 XC: Was in the top seven in all of the team's meets, scored in one... Was 12th in 26:17 at Eagle Invite 7k as team's fifth runner... Placed 151st in 27:36 at Sundodger... Set PR of 27:28 at Willamette to place 173rd... Placed 32nd at Conference Preview in 28:33... Ran to 16th-place finish at Pete Steilberg meet in 28:33... Placed 54th at the CCC Championships and 79th at the NAIA Region I meet in 29:20 as team won both titles... Placed 250th in 29:37 as the team finished 20th at the NAIA National meet.
Prior to CU: Participated in cross country and track all four years in high school... Captain of cross and track teams as a junior and as a senior... Set JV district course record as a freshman and sophomore... Two-time JV Metro Champ in cross country... All-Metro first-team two years and second-team one year in cross country, as well as honorable mention all-state one year... Nike Team National qualifier as a junior... Team MVP in cross country and Crusader Award winner as senior... Team state champs for cross country in 2002 and 2004, and track in 2005... PR's of 54.4 (400), 2:01 (800), 4:07 (1,500), 8:57 (3,000), and 9:46 (steeplechase) in high school.
Personal: Graduate of Jesuit High School in Oregon... Volunteers at Blanchet House and Portland Rescue Mission... Coached at Crossroad Christian School for Jr. High track... Scoutmaster in Boy Scouts... Eagle Scout... Enjoys hiking, biking, reading, writing, poetry, singing, camping, playing cribbage, and taking care of cars... Majoring in Pre-Med/Biology... Wants to be a veterinarian... Born August 25, 1987 in Medford, Ore... Son of Rick and Christina... Rick ran for two years at University of Oregon... Has two sisters, Jennifer and Rebecca.
Daniel Valdez
Year: Senior
Hometown: Hermiston, Ore.
Previous School: Hermiston H.S./Portland State
2007 XC: Redshirted.
2006 XC: Scored in every meet for the Cavaliers... Placed third in 24:33 at Eagle Invite 7k... Set personal record of 25:54 to place 37th at Sundodger... Placed 94th in 26:26 at Willamette... Ran 27:58 for 21st place at Conference Preview... Placed eighth at Pete Steilberg meet in 27:03... Placed 12th at the CCC Championship and 21st at the NAIA Region I Championships in 27:14 to score for the team champions... Placed 178th at the NAIA National meet in 27:23 as the team placed 20th overall.
2005 XC: Ran in the top four for the Cavaliers all season... Placed 16th in 28:16 at Pacific... Ran 27:02 for 17th place at Lewis & Clark... Broke 27:00 at Sundodger, placing 92nd in 26:43... Ran to 114th place at Willamette in 27:01... Was 36th in 27:34 at Conference Preview... Ran 27:46 to place 33rd at the CCC Championship and 51st at the NAIA Region I meet.
Prior to CU: Ran cross country and track at Hermiston High School... Ran one year of cross and track at Portland State University.
Personal: Graduate of Hermiston High School in Oregon.
Dylan Zitzer
Year: Sophomore
Hometown: Dillon, Mont.
Previous School: Beaverhead County H.S.
2007 XC: Was team's second runner in all but one meet, when he was the third runner for the Cavs... Placed 27th in 27:33 in first collegiate cross country meet at Lewis & Clark... Ran 27:55 for 84th at Bob Firman... Placed 141st in a personal record of 27:11 at Willamette... Was 44th in 29:21 at Pete Steilberg meet... Placed 36th at the CCC Championship with a 28:15... Ran 27:56 for 69th place at the NAIA Region I meet.
Prior to CU: Participant in cross country for four years and track for three years... As a junior, was an all-conference individual and helped the team to runner-up honors at state... Academic All-State award winner... As team captain, earned all-conference and all-state distinction as senior... Team division and state champions as senior... PR's of 4:48 (1,600) and 10:25 (3,200) in high school.
Personal: Graduate of Beaverhead County High School in Montana... YMCA youth board member... Enjoys snowboarding, bird watching, swimming, reading, biking and hiking... Majoring in biology... Wants to work for fish and wildlife department... Born October 22, 1988 in Billings, Mont... Son of Andrew and Sara... Andrew was collegiate baseball player at University of Toledo... Grandfather, Fredrick, won five straight national racquetball titles... Has one younger sister, Grace.
Women's Cross Country Bios
Andria Castillo
Year: Junior
Hometown: Oregon City, Ore.
Previous School: Oregon City H.S./Clackamas C.C.
Prior to CU: Ran cross country and track as freshman and sophomore at Oregon City High School... Was an All-American in cross as well as in the 800, 1,500 and 5,000 on the track while competing at Clackamas Community College.
Personal: Graduate of Oregon City High School in Oregon... Works full-time and raises her three children (ages 12, 6, and 3) in addition to school and running... Enjoys playing with her kids and reading... Majoring in business administration... Born March 14, 1977... Daughter of Leonel and Antoinette... Has one brother, Juan and two sisters, Allie and Tyana... Tyana ran collegiately at Clackamas Community College and Warner Pacific University.
Heather McLaughlin
Year: Freshman
Hometown: Tacoma, Wash.
Previous School: Mt. Rainier Lutheran H.S.
Prior to CU: Competed in volleyball and track all four years in high school, as well as basketball as a freshman and sophomore, weight training as junior and senior, and cheerleading as senior... Volleyball team was Academic State Champions in 2006 and 2007... Was a state track participant in the long jump and the 400 in 2007... Placed fourth in the 800 in 2008... Team MVP as sophomore, junior and senior.
Personal: Graduate of Mount Rainier Lutheran High School in Washington... Has gone on a mission trip to northern British Columbia the past five years... Majoring in psychology... Born August 2, 1990... Daughter of Troy and Nicole... Has one younger brother, Kyle.
Linsie Michels
Year: Sophomore
Hometown: Salem, Ore.
Previous School: Cascade H.S./Concordia Univ. (Irvine)
Prior to CU: Ran cross country and track for four years in high school... Captain as a senior in cross country and junior and senior in track... All-league for four years in cross country and track... Team MVP for three years in cross... Four-time district 800 meter champion... Five-time state champion (3x 800; 1x 400 relay, 1x XC)... Also second in state in the 400 relay, second in the 1,500-meter run and fourth in the 1,600 relay as a senior... Three-time Borderclash qualifier... 2007 Capital Conference Scholar Athlete... Cascade High School Girls Athlete of the Year... Finalist for Oregon Sports Award-Prefontaine Award... Set Cascade High School records in the 400 (58.54), 800 (2:14.0), 400 relay (49.39) and cross country (18:03)... Ran one year at Concordia University-Irvine... Conference champion in the 800... Fifth at the NAIA National Championships in the 3,200 relay and seventh in the open 800... Set personal record of 2:11.95 in the 800.
Personal: Graduate of Cascade High School in Oregon... Was in National Honor Society... Community and student leadership projects... Worked with canned food drives, in nursery at church and serves at Union Gospel Mission... Enjoys running, working out and spending time with her family... Majoring in business... Born August 1, 1988... Daughter of Geary and Vickie... Has one younger brother, Trent.
Lauren Moran
Year: Freshman
Hometown: Lake Stevens, Wash.
Previous School: Archbishop Murphy H.S.
Prior to CU: Four year athlete in cross country, basketball, and track... MVP of the cross country team all four years... MVP of the track team during her first three years... Earned all-conference cross country honors as a sophomore, junior and senior... All-conference on the track during her sophomore and junior seasons... As senior, was named the team captain and won Outstanding Female Athlete and Don McClure awards... Holds seven school records at her high school... PR's of 2:21.5 (800), 5:19 (1,600), 34-2 (triple jump), and 5-1 (high jump).
Personal: Graduate of Archbishop Murphy High School in Washington... Has worked as a food bank volunteer, on a migrant worker project and as a Eucharistic Minister... National Honors Society and took several AP and Honors classes in high school... Enjoys drama, choir, playing guitar, swimming and waterskiing... Majoring in biology... Wants to get into veterinarian medicine... Born December 26, 1989... Daughter of Tom and Janine... Has one younger brother, Sean and one older sister, Caitlin.
Jenna Olson
Year: Sophomore
Hometown: Stanwood, Wash.
Previous School: Stanwood H.S.
2007 XC: Was a top-four runner all year for the Cavaliers... Ran 25:53 to place 51st at Lewis & Clark 6k... Was 107th in 22:22 at Bob Firman... Set personal record of 20:44 at Willamette to place 167th and come in second on the team... Ran 21:11 to be 44th at the Pete Steilberg meet... Placed 47th at the Cascade Collegiate Conference championship in 21:51... Ran 21:28 to come in 89th at the NAIA Region I Championship.
Prior to CU: Competed in cross country all four years in high school... Played basket basketball and competed in track for three years... Also played tennis as a junior... Cross country team placed eighth at state as during her sophomore campaign.
Personal: Graduate of Stanwood High School in Washington... Volunteered at Faubion Elementary... Was in National Honors Society... Enjoys hanging out with friends, doing anything related to music, reading, being outside, dancing and drinking coffee... Majoring in nursing... Wants to become a labor and delivery or neo-natal nurse... Born September 20, 1989... Daughter of Mike and Juli... Has one older sister, Amy.
Maggie Pesanti
Year: Sophomore
Hometown: Missoula, Mont.
Previous School: Hellgate H.S.
2007 XC: Was the second runner for Cavaliers in all but one meet, when she was the third runner for the team... Ran 25:50 for 6k to place 47th at Lewis & Clark... Placed 99th in 21:55 at Bob Firman... Ran 20:59 to place 180th at Willamette... Was 41st in 21:02 at Pete Steilberg meet... Placed 39th at CCC Championship in 21:26... Set personal record of 20:55 to place 72nd at the NAIA Region I Championship.
Prior to CU: Competed four seasons of cross country, swimming, and track in high school, as well as two years of club swimming... Captain of swim team... Two-time Most Inspirational awards in both swimming and cross... Two-time Coaches' Award winner in swimming... All-Metro Team... PR's of 2:32 in the 800 and 6:02 in the 1,600.
Personal: Graduate of Hellgate High School in Missoula... Key Club, YMCA Splash Program and YMCA soccer coach... Academic All-State and President's Award for Educational Achievement... Member of the choir for six years... Enjoys shopping, renting movies, listening to music, working out and coking... Hates the outdoors and cliff jumping... Majoring in social science with a minor in psychology... Wants to become dermatologist, physician's assistant or get into marketing... Born March 8, 1988 in Missoula, Mont... Daughter of Steve and Roxanne... Has one older brother, Nigel, and three sisters, Raina, Katie and Selah... She and her sisters are half Italian.
Samantha Robert
Year: Sophomore
Hometown: Middleton, Idaho
Previous School: Middleton H.S.
2007 XC: Ran in the top five all year... Was 111th in 22:43 at Bob Firman... Placed 195th in a season's best 21:19 at Willamette... Ran 21:44 to place 49th at Pete Steilberg... Was third for the team in 21:36 to place 42nd at the CCC Championship... Ran 21:40 at the NAIA Region I meet to place 97th.
Prior to CU: Played softball as a freshman, then moved to cross country and track for her final three years of high school... Team captain of cross country and track teams as sophomore, junior and senior... Team MVP in cross all three years... Placed seventh, 14th, and 11th as sophomore, junior and senior, respectively... Team was fourth as a sophomore and eighth as a junior... Qualified for state track as a junior in the 1,600 and was seventh in the 3,200...Helped the team to a state championship... PR's of 5:38 (1,600), 12:39 (3,200), and 20:49 (5k XC).
Personal: Graduate of Middleton High School in Washington... Involved in Big Brother/Big Sister program, Mercy Medical Center, CU Honors program and Greater Portland Baptist Church... National Honors Society, President's Academic Achievement, and several other academic awards... Enjoys choir, camping, fishing, hunting, horseback riding, motorcycle riding and skiing... Father owns an archery outdoor store and the top hunting pack company in the nation... Majoring in pre-medicine... Wants to be a physician's assistant, possibly in orthopedic surgery... Born March 21, 1989 in Nampa, Idaho... Daughter of Jay and Sally... Has one younger brother, Tanner... Is the first person in her family to attend college.
Alice Taylor
Year: Freshman
Hometown: Auckland, New Zealand
Previous School: Rangitoto H.S./Auckland University of Technology
Prior to CU: Captured a national title in the 3,000 at the National Track and Field Secondary School Championships as a freshman... Sixth place at national meet as a sophomore... National title in 4,000-meter road race as a senior... Tenth place at the Senior Women 10,000 National Road Race Championships as a club athlete during her first year out of high school... Earned "Blue" award for cross country, track, and triathlon for competing at the national level and above... PR's of 2:20 (800), 4:46 (1,500), and 10:16 (3,000).
Personal: Graduate of Rangitoto High School in New Zealand... Deputy Head Girl senior year of high school... Enjoys the outdoors and to read, paint, listen to music, compete in sports, and socialize... Majoring in pre-physical therapy... Wants to become a health care professional... Born December 13, 1987 in Cheltenham, U.K... Daughter of Benson and Halina... Has two sisters, Evelyn and Lydia.
Savannah Walruff
Year: Junior
Hometown: Clackamas, Ore.
Previous School: Clackamas H.S./Clackamas C.C.
Prior to CU: Competed for four years in cross country and track, as well as adding swimming her senior year of high school. Also competed for two years in cross and one year in track at Clackamas Community College.
Personal: Graduate of Clackamas High School in Oregon... Born July 31, 1988 in Portland, Ore... Daughter of Randy and Nancy... Has one older sister, Natalie. Natalie competed for Clackamas Community College from 2002-04. Randy is the cross country and track coach at Clackamas H.S.
