The Mt. San Jacinto College (MSJC) Athletic Department has announced a strategic shift in its sports offerings for the 2025-26 academic year, replacing women’s golf with a new women’s cross-country program set to launch in fall 2025.
The decision follows ongoing challenges within the women’s golf program, which has struggled in recent years to maintain a full roster amid a statewide decline in participation. By introducing women’s cross country, MSJC aims to enhance athletic opportunities for female student-athletes while strengthening its overall program enrollment.
“We are looking for opportunities to maximize our female participation within intercollegiate athletics, and from our data gathered through CCCApply, cross-country seems to be a good fit for us,” Patrick Springer, dean of Kinesiology, Health, Nutrition, and Athletics, said.
The new Eagle cross-country team will be based at the Menifee Valley Campus, which features a state-of-the-art training facility that opened in the summer of 2023.
MSJC aims to recruit 10 to 20 student-athletes per season, ensuring continued support for women’s collegiate athletics. With this addition, the college will maintain its commitment to offering seven women’s intercollegiate sports alongside five men’s programs.
“Participation is strong in our district, and our hope is that many of these female student-athletes will want to extend their running careers and give themselves an opportunity to earn a scholarship to the next level,” Springer said.
The California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) women’s cross-country season runs from
late August through November. The college is currently conducting a search for a head coach to lead the new program.
Interested student-athletes can complete a recruitment questionnaire on the MSJC Athletics website.
