CROSS COUNTRY, TRACK, AND FIELD CLUB AT UC DAVIS
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Mission Statement

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The Cross Country, Track, and Field Club at UC Davis is a student-run organization that aims to create a team and community of student-athletes, accessible to both undergraduate and graduate students. Our mission is to encourage a supportive atmosphere where students create opportunities for competition, social gathering, and community involvement. As part of the National Intercollegiate Running Club Association, we aim to offer a competitive alternative to Division I Athletics at UC Davis, as well as opportunities for racing alternative events, such as marathons. As a campus sport club, we aim to be part of a healthy, active student lifestyle and to support athletes of all abilities, backgrounds, cultures, and identities. On and off campus, we will represent the best of UC Davis.

About the Club

The XCTF club has become a supportive place for all runners in its short, eight-year history. In college, volunteer sports are an integral part of keeping a happy and balanced life. The XCTF club, a volunteer organization, is based on the European sport club model, which is structured to include opportunities for all levels of athletes, including highly competitive squads training for serious events, up-and-coming athletes looking to enter the competitive stage, and social fitness folks who just want friends to run with. All athletes in the club run together and support each other in reaching their goals; there are no "cliques" here. More competitive athletes will find a committed and talented team who train up to seven days per week and between 40 and 80 miles per week, depending on the person, as well as ample opportunities for racing in competitive events in every season. Less competitive athletes will find a supportive and socially active group of friends who train between 10 and 40 miles per week, depending on the person, as well as many opportunities for racing in fun events year-round. The student and volunteer coaches will form training plans for any athletes interested in following a regimen or incorporating new components to their workout schedule.

As a sport club, rather than a Division 1 team, our athletes don't have the pressure of a UC Athletics contract in lieu of their intense academic work. Instead, our members find that coming to practices, races, and social events is a welcome and healthy reprieve from their academics. As one of the few truly co-ed sport organizations on campus, and one of the oldest and most universal sports on the planet, athletes of all identities find the XCTF club to be a welcoming atmosphere to mingle with people from other parts of campus and an ideal balance of individual work and teamwork.

Officially, the XCTF club is a sanctioned UC Davis Sport Club, as well as a Pacific Region team of the National Intercollegiate Running Club Association (NIRCA), which is the club equivalent of the NCAA. In cross country season, we race in numerous regional invites, leading up to the NIRCA Pacific Regionals meet, during which we aim to qualify for the NIRCA National Championships meet. Over the years, we have become champions in invites, the Regionals meet, and the Nationals meet. After cross country season, we train for winter races, which include a variety of distances, from 5K/10K to half marathons, marathons, and more. Sprinters and jumpers train year-round but begin increasing event-specific load in December in order to peak for the spring track season (there is no real indoor/winter track season in California, but we have attended indoor meets out-of-state). In spring track/field season, we race numerous regional and out-of-state invites and are planning to attend for the first time the NIRCA Track and Field Nationals in April, 2023, which includes a street half marathon. In summer, most athletes conduct base training and take a break from serious racing. For example, the more competitive distance athletes increase mileage and conduct more workouts off the track, while less competitive athletes take the opportunity to cross-train or enjoy summer sports. See our Training and Racing tabs for more information.

The XCTF club has access to the UC Davis Sport Club athletic trainer (AT), located in the ARC. The AT can provide physical therapy exercises for injured sport club athletes, free of charge. At practice and events, four club officers trained in CPR/AED/First Aid for athletes handle any immediate medical issues.


 History of the UCDXCTF Club

The XCTF club was founded in Fall of 2014 by then-sophomores Nathan Kwan (now volunteer head coach), Blake Zufall, Eric Jones, and Jon Horvath (collectively, the Distance Dudes) as a competitive long-distance club team. At the small-but-mighty team’s first associated race, NIRCA Regionals, the men’s team cleaned house with a first-place finish and four All-Region athletes, and the women’s team--then too few to qualify as a team--pulled in exemplary individual finishes, including several All-Region awards. In 2015, the team came out in greater numbers and with more resolve, winning first in both men's and women's NIRCA Regionals races and clinching a spot at the National Championship meet. Two weeks later in Lexington, KY, the men’s team won Nationals gold and posted four All-Americans, and several in the women's team cinched All-American titles.....


Each year since, the XCTF club has placed numerous All-Region and National All-American athletes in both the men’s and women’s teams, as well as silver, bronze, and top-10 team standings at Nationals, and two individual National Champions. Outside of NIRCA, our athletes have run in numerous cross country and track/field invitationals during those seasons, and have filled in off-seasons with countless community races and marathons as individual and team representatives. Some of these events include:

Cal All-Comers Meet
Mike Fanelli Track Classic
Kim Duyst Invitational
Warriors Last Chance Meet
Aggie Invitational
SacTown 10-Miler
Johnny Mathis Invitational
Chico Distance Carnival

Avenue of the Giants Marathon Events
Redding Marathon Events
California International Marathon
Bay to Breakers
Santa Rosa Marathon
Surf City Marathon
Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Events

Tahoe Ragnar Endurance Challenge
USATF Pacific Cross Country Championships

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Art credit to Chris Myers
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The finish line on the eve of the famed 2015 NIRCA Nationals meet in Lexington, KY.

NIRCA Nats Vlogs
Video credits to Eric Jones, Nathan Kwan, and Adrian Jauregui


Photo Gallery
Photo credits to Dianne Kwan, Priyanka Shreedar, and NIRCA


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Local legend Nathan Kwan leaps into the finish at the 2014 Doc Adams Open. Putah Creek XC Course, Davis, CA.
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The 2014 Men's team wins Pacific Regionals in their debut NIRCA race. The team's top 4 ran 1st-4th place overall. Crystal Springs XC Course, Belmont, CA.
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The 2018 women's team podiums as the NIRCA Pacific Regional Champions. The Aggies also put out 5 All-Region Athletes (top ten). Crystal Springs XC Course, Belmont, CA.
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Pace-setter Chris Myers out-sprints teammate Clancy McConnell and hundreds of other racers to an exemplary finish at the 2016 Capital Cross Challenge. Haggin Oaks XC Course, Sacramento, CA.
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Ball-of-Fire Noah Schlesinger winds his way through the competition at the 2018 Bronco Invitational. Baylands XC Course, Sunnyvale, CA.
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The 2015 women's team forms the huddle minutes before the start of the NIRCA Nationals race. Masterson Station XC Course, Lexington, KY.
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The 2015 men's team leads the pack at NIRCA Pacific Regionals. Crystal Springs XC Course, Belmont, CA.
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Champion-by-day Haley Hudson launches off the starting block at the 2017 Aggie Open. Woody Wilson Track, Davis, CA.
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The 2015 men's team forms the huddle minutes before the start of the Santa Clara Bronco Invitational. Baylands Park XC Course, Sunnyvale, CA.
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The 2018 women's team forms the huddle minutes before the start of the NIRCA Pacific Regionals race. Crystal Springs XC Course, Belmont, CA.
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Gazelle Venus Shabaghi leads by a hundred yards on rounding the last turn into the finish at the 2014 Doc Adams Open. Putah Creek XC Course, Davis, CA.
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A fit Eric Jones powers out of the start of the men's 1500m race at the 2017 Aggie Open. Woody Wilson Track, Davis, CA.
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Speed demon Angie Carreras strides out in the last few minutes before the start of the 2018 Bronco Invitational women's race. Baylands XC Course, Sunnyvale, CA.
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The 2018 women's team forms the huddle moments before the start of the Bronco Invitational women's race. Baylands XC Course, Sunnyvale, CA.
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A chilled but determined Eli Teel out-sprints the competition at the 2018 NIRCA Nationals meet. Masterson Station XC Course, Lexington, KY.
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Stud Blake Zufall rounds the crest of the first hill, closing on the lead pack, at the 2015 NIRCA Nationals race. Masterson Station XC Course, Lexington, KY.
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The 2015 men's and women's Pacific Regional NIRCA Champions: UC Davis. The Aggies also put out nine All-Region athletes (top ten). Crystal Springs XC Course, Belmont, CA.
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Long-legged Aidan Carpenter keeps his eyes on the prize while boxed in by the competition at the 2017 Aggie Open. Woody Wilson Track, Davis, CA.
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The 2016 men's team cheers minutes before the start of the Capital Cross Challenge. Haggin Oaks XC Course, Sacramento, CA.
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The 2015 men's champions-to-be launch off the start line at the NIRCA Nationals race. Masterson Station XC Course, Lexington, KY.
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The 2015 men's NIRCA National Champions, including four All-Americans (top 30). Masterson Station XC Course, Lexington, KY.
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The powerful Erica Edwards finishes her strides just moments before the start of the 2018 Bronco Invitational women's race. Baylands XC Course, Sunnyvale, CA.
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Go-getter Danika Newlin puts it all on the line to become a 2018 Pacific All-Region athlete and help her team to champion status at the NIRCA Regionals race. Crystal Springs XC Course, Belmont, CA.
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Jake "The Snake" Whealen analyzes his next move at the 2018 Bronco Invitational. Baylands XC Course, Sunnyvale, CA.
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Far-reaching Haley Hudson bounds into the pit at the 2017 Aggie Open. Woody Wilson Track, Davis, CA.
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Hungry Ruy Barretto leads a wolf pack at the 2018 Bronco Invitational. Baylands XC Course, Sunnyvale, CA.
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  • Home+
    • About
    • Training
    • Officers and Coaches
    • Donate
  • Join
  • Racing
  • Moove Your Hooves