Sixteen straight.

For the Glendale College Women’s Cross Country Team, the domination of the Western State Conference over the past decade is not only measured in consecutive team titles won since 2006 but what the Lady Vaqueros have accomplished beyond that.

Certainly, the many Southern California and state championships won in that time frame speak to athletic success and there has been plenty for the women’s program since it started racing competitively in the 1970s but the transfer opportunities that come with that success have been significant.

Almost yearly, GCC cross country athletes, both women and men, work on and off the courses they train and race on throughout Southern California to put themselves in position to transfer to four-year schools. They also earn scholarship funds to aid in their transfer efforts.

But outside of the classroom, it is on the track, pavement and park roads that the athletic work begins and ends as the runners consistently log 50 or more miles per week in preparation for the fall meet schedule and the challenge of winning and defending conference titles for both teams, sometimes winning by more than 100 points or as few as 12 like the women did in 2021.

“I like our chances this year for both teams as we are currently ranked No. 5 in Southern California after both teams finished second at Mt. SAC last week,” said head cross country and track coach Eddie Lopez who also credits assistant coaches Tomas Aguirre and Matthew and Anthony Osherow for the teams’ success. “But every year is different and 2022 is no exception with injuries and last-minute transfers affecting both rosters. I’m proud of both teams for the hard work they have put in and representing Glendale College with pride and effort.”

When both teams toe the starting line at Arroyo Vista Park in Moorpark Friday at 1 p.m., Lopez will be coaching his teams in his 36th conference championship meet, compiling six state titles for the women and two for the men and sending many athletes to four-year schools in the process.