SBVC Men’s Cross Country: Runners Transfer to Division I Schools

SBVC Men’s Cross Country sophomore Joseph Aguilar (Riverside Arlington), and sophomore Eric Perez (Riverside Arlington), received scholarship offers to National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I schools last week. Aguilar will be attending the University of Arkansas in Little Rock while Perez is headed to New Mexico State University. San Bernardino Valley’s runners won the school’s seventh consecutive Southern California championship in 2012, but finished fifth at the State Finals. San Bernardino Valley steamrolled through the Foothill Conference and Southern California Regional meets before finishing 83 points behind American River College at the state meet in Fresno. Perez collected a State Championship in 2010, and was the top finisher in 2011 (9th place), wrapping up with a time of 20:25. The 2011 team finished second at the State Finals, 42 points behind American River College at the state meet in Fresno, thus ending SBVC’s 5-year string of dominance in Men’s Cross Country. Perez did not compete in 2012. Aguilar was the second-best finisher for SBVC (18th place) at this last year’s State Finals with a time of 20:48.67, averaging a 5:12 mile. Aguilar was a top-five finisher at the 2012 Foothill Conference Finals, rounding out the top five for SBVC with a time of 20:55.64. He also qualified 12th for the Men’s Track & Field State Finals in the 1,500 meter run with a time of 4:12.20. According to the New Mexico State Aggies athletic website nmstatesports.com: “Having Erik on the team for next fall will provide our team with an additional seasoned runner who can handle the unpredictable twists and turns of the sport,” assistant coach Christopher Huff said. At UALR, the Trojans run at the Rebsamen Park Golf Course as well as the Coleman Sports & Recreation Complex. They are coached by 9-year veteran Milton Williams. UALR is in the Sun Belt Conference of NCAA Division One. New Mexico State University is located in the city of Las Cruces, New Mexico, about 30 miles north of the Texas/New Mexico/Mexico boundary point and 230 miles south of Albuquerque. The NMSU Aggies are coached by 6-year veteran Orin Richburg. NMSU is in the Western Athletic Conference of NCAA Division One.