SAN LUIS OBISPO (December 8, 2021)— The Cuesta Women's Cross-Country team entered the 2021 season looking strong. The Cougars had performed well in their lone Covid-Meet last Spring and had dominated the distance events during their brief track season. The women also had history on their side, after reaching the post-season in each of the five seasons before the pandemic. The team certainly lived up to expectations as the Cougars just missed their first Western State Conference (WSC) title since 1993, but, beyond their Runner-up finish as a team, the harriers went on to finish 5th at the CCCAA Regional Meet and their 7th place finish at the 2021 CCCAA State Championship tied the program's highest finish of the past decade. The Harriers also set a program record with eight harriers earning all-WSC honors, including 2021 CCCAA All-State selection Julia Voss (SLO HS).
Returning Freshman Julia Voss (SLO HS) hit her peak at the end of the season and led the Cougars down the stretch. She earned All-CCCAA State, All-CCCAA South Region and All-Western State Conference honors from her last three starts. Voss earned All-State honors after clearing the five-kilometer course in only 18:47.8, which was the 7th fastest time overall in 2021 and 6th fastest time at the State Meet for a Cuesta Harrier since 1996. Voss joins 11 other former Cuesta Harriers to be named to the CCCAA All State First Team. Voss was the Cougars' top finisher in five of her seven starts
Freshman Dulce Esquivel (SLO HS) joined Voss at the State Meet and on the 2021 All Western Conference First Team. She finished 5th (19:34.6) at the 2021 Western State Conference Meet, just two spots behind Voss, and was the 34th (20:21.8) runner to finish at the 2021 CCCAA State Championship.
The Cougars landed four harriers on the 2021 All-WSC Second Team, despite only three of them were added to Cuesta's team score, which only counts the top five-finishers. Freshmen Chloe Denham (Moorpark HS) and Amelia Schell (Paso Robles HS) and Returners Shannon Ferrall (Arroyo Grande HS) and Emily Mathein (Paso Robles HS) were all recognized by the Western State Conference. Denham and Ferrall joined Voss and Esquivel as the only harriers to score in seven of Cuesta's eight starts this season; however, nobody scored in all eight. Of course, Denham and Ferrall were also the only harriers to make all eight races. Ferrall, a two-time all-WSC Second Teamer, is Cuesta's 14th two-time CCCAA State Qualifier since the turn of the century. Mathein, a returning freshman, and Schell, a true freshman, both endured a slow start to their seasons. Mathein missed the Cougars' first three races, while Schell missed two in the middle of the season. Mathein scored in her last five meets, while Schell, after scoring at the Fresno Invitational and Master's Meet, earned all-WSC honors despite being the sixth Cuesta Harrier, and missing a Top 5 scoring place in all her second half meets.
Freshmen Sierra Dismuke (Visalia) and Madelyn Gonzalez (McFarland HS) were both accorded all-WSC Honorable Mention after finishing 37th and 39th, respectively, at the 2021 Western State Conference Championship, but neither harrier qualified for a post-season spot. Freshman Adrienne Frere (Morro Bay HS) was the only member of the team who did not earn all-WSC honors. She missed the 2021 Western State Conference Meet with an injury, but bounced back to score at both the 2021 Southern California Regional Finals and the 2021 CCCAA State Championship with a 45th place finish in each race.
Cuesta Women's Cross Country Coach Brian Locher was named 2021 WSC Coach of the Year.
2021 Women's Cross-Country Honors
Julia Voss- All-WSC First Team, All State First Team
Dulce Esquivel- All-WSC First Team
Chloe Denham- All-WSC Second Team
Emily Mathein- All-WSC Second Team
Shannon Ferrall- All-WSC Second Team
Amelia Schell- All-WSC Second Team
Madelyn Gonzalez- All-WSC Honorable Mention
Sierra Dismuke- All-WSC Honorable Mention
Brian Locher- WSC Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year
