Four Runners to Compete on a National Stage in Portland Oregon
The Hartnell College cross country team, led by Coast Conference Coach of the Year Christopher Zepeda, will send four runners, including two All-State selections, to the 2025-26 USA Track & Field Cross Country Championships in Portland, Oregon, Dec. 6-7.
The team will consist of All-State selections, Alvaro Ruelas and Gabriela Cardenas, as well as runners Gabriel Clemente and Crystal Madrigal. This will be sophomore Ruelas’ second trip to the championships, while it will be the first time for the other three. They will run in the Under 20 Men’s 8 KM, and the Under 20 Women’s 6 KM.
The 2025-26 USATF Cross Country Championships will be held in conjunction with Nike Cross Nationals, bringing together the best athletes in the country across all age groups. The meet event will also serve as a selection event to recruit athletes for Team USA.
This event is the first to be held in the United States since 1992.
Team selection will be for Open Men’s and Women’s 10 KM, U20 Men’s 8 KM, U20 Women’s 6KM, and for the first time there will be a 2 KM trial to select the 4 x 2 KM Relay Team. The USATF Championship races will immediately follow the NXN Championship races.
Here are the Hartnell College runners competing at the championships:
Alvaro Ruelas
Hartnell’s top cross country runner, Ruelas will be going to the USATF Cross Country Championships for the second time, after competing in the event in Texas last year. A native of Watsonville, he graduated from North Monterey High School, where he started running cross country in his sophomore year.
He said he was “overjoyed” to make the all-state team and “slightly overwhelmed” to be running in the championships, primarily because it not only is it a qualifier for Team USA, but for the world championships.
“I feel like it’s a great opportunity, not many get the opportunity,” he said. “I’m grateful to be able to run against these top runners. I’m feeling pretty confident in the strategy and my overall fitness is better than last year.”
Once cross country season is over, he plans on running the 5K for Hartnell’s track team, also coached by Zepeda, who he feels as a coach is “very understanding” and offers “a lot of individualized training” so runners achieve their best results to help the team.
Gabriela Cardenas
A freshman who graduated earlier this year from Rancho San Juan High School in Salinas, Cardenas has quickly become one of the best runners on the Panthers’ cross country team, posting sub-20-minute times in two of the top meets in the state and locally at Toro Park. She was named an All-State cross country athlete, putting her in the top 28 runners in the state. Cardenas placed 17th in the Women’s 5,000 meter race at the 2025 3C2A XC State Championships at Woodward Park with a time of 18:49.20.
"I am very excited to add Gabriela to our squad,” said Zepeda. “She has had a very nice high school career under some of our alums and most recently Norcal champ Jorge Sanchez. Gabby is a very graceful and fluid runner and I believe she will be one of the region's best as a freshman."
Gabriel Clemente
For someone who only started running cross country in his senior year at King City High School, Clemente has come a long way in three short years, qualifying for the USATF Cross Country Championships with three other Hartnell runners.
“I’m very happy and grateful to be able to go (to the championships),” he said. “I put in the effort, I’m consistent and I’m trying to be the top guy on the team. It’s an achievement just be a runner (in this field).”
Clemente, who would work in the fields in the morning and attend summer classes in the afternoon and often train on his own, is considering continuing his running at a four-year college (he also runs the 15K in track).
As for his coach, he’s very complimentary about Zepeda’s planning and strategy. “He believes in me and brings out the best in me.”
Crystal Madrigal
Madrigal, like her teammate Clemente, is only in her third season of running cross country, having started her junior year at Salinas High School (she also ran track as a sophomore). While admitting to being “slightly nervous” about the upcoming championships, she’s looking forward to competing.
“It’s exciting to qualify and I’m looking forward to competing,” she said. “It’s a new opportunity, a new experience and I’m excited to be part of racing at this level. And I’ve never run a 6K so I’m really excited for that too.”
When asked if Zepeda (Coach Z to the runners) is a tough coach or a more easygoing coach, she said “a bit of both, in a good way.”
“He’s patient and understanding. He likes to listen to what our goals are and what we’re striving to accomplish so we can reach those goals,” she said.
Madrigal is also looking forward to the upcoming track season with Zepeda. In fact, she says she’s leaning to concentrating on track because of its shorter distances: “I really like speed.”
Cross Country Coach Christopher Zepeda
Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Coach Zepeda was recently named Coach of the Year by the Coast Conference, recognizing his exceptional leadership, program excellence, and sustained competitive success throughout the 2025 season.
Zepeda, who joined Hartnell College as an assistant coach in 2006 and was appointed head coach in 2008, has built one of the most respected cross country programs in the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA). Under his direction, the Panthers have consistently earned conference titles, state championship podium placements, and national recognition for both athletic performance and academic achievement.
“This honor reflects the high standards Coach Zepeda sets for himself and for every student-athlete who represents Hartnell College,” said Richard Morales, Director of Communications and Marketing. “His commitment to competitive success is matched only by his dedication to developing young men and women who excel academically, graduate, and contribute meaningfully to their communities. We are extremely proud to see his work recognized by colleagues across the conference.”
Throughout the 2025 season, Zepeda led both programs to standout performances marked by disciplined training, strategic race execution, and the Panthers’ trademark depth. Hartnell runners secured top conference finishes, multiple all-conference selections, and strong placements at major invitational meets. The season also continued Hartnell’s tradition of academic strength, with numerous athletes maintaining GPAs above 3.0 while balancing rigorous training and competition schedules.
Zepeda emphasized that the recognition is shared across the program.
“I am humbled to receive this award,” he said. “Coaching is never an individual achievement. This reflects the commitment of our student-athletes, the expertise of our assistant coaches, and the unwavering support from Hartnell College. Our program succeeds because everyone works with purpose, discipline, and heart. I am honored to lead them.”
As Hartnell prepares for the upcoming track and field season, Zepeda said the momentum from a successful fall further reinforces the Panthers’ long-standing competitive culture. The team will continue to focus on athlete development, academic excellence, and national-level competitiveness.
Hartnell College is widely recognized for its strong athletics tradition, producing conference and state champions across multiple sports. The cross country program remains one of its most consistently accomplished teams, known for its competitive performance and the holistic support it provides student-athletes.
And now Zepeda will be taking four of his Panther runners to a national-level competition in the USATF Cross Country Championships.
For more information about Hartnell College Athletics, visit hartnellpanthers.com.
