Warrior Weekly: Two Stan State athletes reflect on abrupt ending to superb season
A little less than four years ago, Clarissa Morales brought Darren Holman a gift from Mexico. It was a bracelet with a nickname the team had given him during his first year as the Stanislaus State’s head cross country coach.
The team had endearingly called Holman “Blanco” — similar to Kevin Costner’s character’s nickname in “McFarland, USA.” Holman put on the bracelet immediately and promised Morales that he’d wear it until he helped her realize her dream of competing at a national championship meet.
That promise appeared to come true when Morales, and teammate Cynthia Mejia, qualified for the NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships in March.
Except, the meet didn’t take place.
Mejia, Morales, Holman and track & field head coach Troy Johnson were already in Birmingham, Alabama, preparing for the duo to compete in both the 3,000- and 5,000-meter races.
“(At dinner the night before) I remembered feeling nervous that the meet might get canceled,” Mejia recalled. “But I figured since we were already there, it was definitely going to happen.”
NCAA cancels meet, other events, spring season
On March 11, the NCAA announced the championship was going to be staged without spectators. Then, after the pre-championship coaches meeting, it was announced only coaches and student-athletes would be allowed inside the facility.
The next day, the NCAA canceled all winter championships and spring sports due to the coronavirus global pandemic.
Mejia and Morales had just returned to the team hotel after a workout with Holman that afternoon. Mejia received a text from fellow teammate Iris Carrillo with the post the NCAA had shared regarding the cancellation of championships.
Mejia then searched social media for more information, which eventually included the elimination of all spring sports.
Finally, they met Holman and Johnson in the lobby for the ultimate confirmation.
“I was heartbroken,” Morales said. “I felt that all of my hard work, sacrifice and dedication that I put in for the indoor season wasn’t going to be shown.”
Both Mejia and Morales also had to break the news to their parents, who had made the trip.
Both athletes were peaking at the right time to earn a spot on the top-8 All-American podium. Morales had the sixth-best time in the 3,000 and was seventh in the 5,000. Mejia was seeded 12th in the 5K and 14th in the 3K.
They could have been the Warriors’ first first-team All-Americans in indoor track & field since 2014.
“Coach Darren apologized and talked with optimism about our future goals,” Morales said. “He encouraged us to use this news as an inspiration to work harder and the possibility of getting more time to show what we are capable of.”
Optimism runs high at Stanislaus State
This spring, the Warrior women planned on continuing to progress toward a cross country championship in the fall with a very successful track season.
Despite the season being cut short, Mejia, Morales, Holman and the rest of the Stan State women’s distance team believe they are capable of achieving that goal.
“I truly believe that if everyone does what they’re supposed to do leading into the cross season, we can win a championship,” Mejia said. “We have an extremely strong team so I know that we can do it if we work together and run for each other.”
The Warriors had already shown their potential during the Kim Duyst Track & Field Invitational on March 7. During the 10,000-meter race, six Stan State runners surpassed the previous school record with a seventh Warrior also made in on to career top 10 list.
Mejia now holds the Stanislaus record in a time of 35 minutes, 47.34 seconds. Morales was second in 35:48.10.
They were followed by Kaela Dishion, Sabrina Garcia, Carrillo and Nancy Juarez in the top six. Grace Kenny also made the top 10 list.
“The Kim Duyst meet was a huge milestone for our whole team,” Mejia said.
The training continues for Mejia, teammates
For now, since they can’t practice as a team, they keep up with the training on their own. Mejia goes on maintenance runs and threshold workouts with Carrillo and Garcia.
Said Mejia: “It’s a bit difficult because we don’t have a track right now, but if you want something bad enough, you’ll put the work in no matter what.”
Morales is taking a break from training while recovering from knee tendinitis caused by running.
Both plan on extending their eligibility with the extra year granted by the NCAA.
“Being one of coach Darren’s athletes is an opportunity of a lifetime and I am not going to pass that up,” Mejia said.
Mejia is on track to be in a master’s program and Morales will be working on her teaching credential during the spring of 2022. They will both be track seniors in 2021.
With Morales and Mejia leading the pack of well-coached distance runners, the odds are pretty good that Holman will be happily taking off that “Blanco” bracelet really soon.
“The bracelet will be coming off during the (next) cross country season,” a determined Morales promised.
This story was originally published April 17, 2020 at 8:00 AM.