Western Colorado University Athletics

The 1986 Western State men’s cross country team won NAIA National Championship, the first of many National Championships for the Crimson and Slate harriers. The team was highlighted by what was called the “Venezuelan Connection,” which was four student-athletes from Venezuela. Those four were Eduardo Navas, who claimed five NAIA National Track Championships during his time, Juan Diaz owner of three NAIA Track Championships Frank Oropeza and Jose Rojas. The other members of the Top Seven included: Steve Cathcart, Steve Roch and Doug Meade. Other instrumental members of the team included Kyle Caudle, Ryan Robinson, Bob Guidry, Stevin Johnson, Dan Buford, John Paitel and Russ Dryer. The 1986 season was full of exciting twists and turns for the Western men. The RMAC Championship meet proved to be a big hurdle, as only the top two teams would advance to the NAIA Nationals. Adams State, the defending National Champions, took one of those spots and Western had to battle Fort Lewis for the second spot. The Mountaineers overcame 10 inches of fresh snow on the course in Golden to edge Fort Lewis 57-59 and advance to the Nationals. The course at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside in Kenosha, Wisc., was regarded as one of the toughest National Championship courses ever. Again Adams State was the overwhelming favorite, but Western started off strong even though they trailed the Grizzlies for much of the race. But as they came closer to the finish line, the Mountaineers made their move. Navas finished second, Diaz finished third and Cathcart finished eighth. Later came Oropeza (31st), Roch (56th), Meade (98th) and Rojas (197th). Back in 1986, team results were not known right after the race and the team result was always announced at the awards banquet. As the Mountaineers waited to hear the team results, they received their All-American honors for Navas, Diaz and Cathcart and then heard the teams announced for places third through fifth. That left Adams and Western as the top two teams, but after 42 teams and 379 runners, the two arch-rivals had tied for the NAIA National Championship. This marked the first time in cross country history that two teams had tied for the National Championship. The National Championship was the third team title for Western State, behind the 1963 and 1964 Wrestling teams.