No matter the trends or the events, those at that top keep a weary and watchful eye on Azusa Pacific. They must, for the Cougars are never too far off, and their run as the NAIA’s premier track & field program now spans more than 2 decades. Looking over your shoulder for Azusa Pacific is a long-running habit of those who seek to run among the elite of NAIA track & field.

This year, what those running from Azusa Pacific may see is a foe back on the prowl, hunting them down and poised to return as king of the NAIA. For schools like Dickinson State, Lindenwood, McKendree, and Virginia Intermont, the question always is, “where’s Azusa Pacific.”

Since 1983, Azusa Pacific has won a combined 17 NAIA indoor and outdoor men’s team championships, far and away the most in NAIA history. However, there was no crown upon the Cougars’ head last year. That’s not a first, just a rarity. Azusa Pacific didn’t win a national championship in 1990 and 1993 and from 1997 to 2000. However, the Cougars were always nearby, and they eventually came back to win in other years.

Perhaps 2006 is an “other” year.

Azusa Pacific returns 18 athletes from last year’s squad that finished fourth at the NAIA indoors and fifth at the outdoor championships. Included among the list of returnees are 10 All-Americans. Three who redshirted the 2005 season are back as well and the entire trio has competed on the national level. Two junior college transfers and a freshman fill the gaps to make this a strong set of Cougars, one that could wear the crown again.

“It’s a pretty good unit,” said Azusa Pacific men’s coach Kevin Reid, now in his 11th season at the helm. “This is a team that has the ability to score over 70 points, and maybe even 80 at both championships. Whether or not that is enough to win a title is too hard to predict early in a season, but we should be in the mix.”

As usual for a Reid-coached team, one of Azusa Pacific’s strengths rests with its decathletes – a national champ, an All-American and a potential All-American are in the fold. As has been the case for the past 4 years, the Cougars will once again be a force in the relays. Yet, what separates this team from the field may be the best single collection of quarter- and half-milers in the nation. Not only can Azusa Pacific win individual crowns in the 400-, 600- (indoor only), 800- and 1000- (indoor only) meter races, the Cougars will also be favorites to win the 4x400-, 4x800-meter and distance medley relays

“We may have the best 4x800 relay on any level, anywhere in the nation,” said Reid. “When you compare what was the best NCAA Division I time last year and what our relay has done in the past, we could be right up there this year. I’d like to think we could make a run at winning the Penn Relays 4x800, if we get back there.”

A year ago, half-milers Tim Ramirez (Simi Valley, Calif./Royal HS), Kevin Lindsey (Thousand Oaks, Calif./Thousand Oaks HS) , Caleb Lynch (Phoenix, Ariz./Washington HS) and Danny Reid (Upland, Calif./Glendora HS) led Azusa Pacific to the school’s third straight NAIA outdoor 4x800 title. The entire quartet is back, looking to make Azusa Pacific the first school in NAIA history to take 4 straight 4x800s. Lindsey is a common thread among the 3 previous victories, while fellow seniors Ramirez and Reid (no relation to Kevin) have been a member of 2 others. Reid also teamed with Lindsey when Azusa Pacific won the 2004 indoor 4x800.

Individually, the entire quartet could combine to win the 600, 800, 1000 and mile races at the indoor championships. Indeed, it would be a stretch, but such a claim isn’t without precedent. Ramirez has an NAIA title to his credit (2003 outdoor 800) and Lynch (indoor 600) and Reid (indoor 1000) have been national runners-up.

“There are a lot of potential points in those 4 men,” said Reid, the head coach. “Their strengths are the strengths of others at Oklahoma Baptist and Virginia Intermont, but the fact that Ramirez, Lindsey and Reid are all seniors makes me believe we have an edge. They’re veterans of NAIA track & field and cross country championship meets. They know how to run in high pressure situations”

Junior Tony Ramirez (Simi Valley, Calif./Royal HS) , the fourth and final Ramirez sibling to compete for Azusa Pacific track & field, carries the Cougars’ torch in the 400 meters. The first-ever athlete to sweep the 100-, 200- and 400-meter sprint titles at the Golden State Athletic Conference championships, Ramirez is an 8-time All-American and a former NAIA champion in the indoor 400. A possible scorer in the 200 as well, Ramirez owns career bests of 21.26 and 46.73, both set during his 2005 sophomore campaign.

Senior Matt Parish (Medford, Ore./Medford HS) has a 47.78 quarter-mile to his credit, giving the Cougars not only 2 potential All-Americans in the 400, but one half of what could be an outstanding mile relay team.

Not to be lost in the shuffle of strong quarter-milers is a healthy Chris Page (Bath, England/Beechen Cliff Secondary) . The senior returns to action after missing all of last year with injuries. Now at full strength, Page, who has 47.51 400 meters to his credit, gives the Cougars tremendous relay depth and potential points in the open 400.

Hurdler Matt Sparks (Gunnison, Colo./Gunnison HS) , who as a sophomore last year swept the GSAC high and intermediate hurdle crowns, is another figure in the Cougar 4x400 relay. He ran the opening leg on last year’s unit that clocked a fine 3:11.90. However, Sparks is also eyeing individual awards in the 55-meter hurdles (indoor) and 110-meter hurdles (outdoor). And perhaps, Sparks, who own career bests of 7.70 and 14.31 in the highs, respectively, can garner points in the intermediates where has a lifetime best of 52.41.

A veteran of 4 All-American relays, senior sprinter Brett Bultje (Colorado Springs, Colo./Colorado Springs Christian HS) lends some valuable experience and his career bests of 10.82 (100) and 21.74 (200) to the Cougars’ sprint relays.

“There’s a lot of risk and chance in relays which makes them somewhat volatile,” said Reid, “but the fact that we have a group of athletes who’ve been together for quite awhile helps alleviate some of the danger for us. I think we’ll do quite well in the relays at both indoor and outdoors.”

Reigning NAIA pentathlon champion Brian Bernard (Eugene, Ore./Willamete HS) spearheads a set of Cougar multi-eventers that are probably the best in the NAIA. Bernard posted a career-best 3,731 points in winning last year’s NAIA pentathlon title and though he was second in the decathlon, his career best of 6,792 points places him among the elite and the likely frontrunner for the 2006 title. Bernard will also push for postseason recognition in the pole vault where he has flirted with the 16-foot barrier, a mark that would put him among the top 3 at nationals.

One of Bernard’s most significant challenges for the pentathlon/decathlon crowns comes from teammate David Pichler (Yelm, Wash./Yelm HS) , who close to his 2005 freshman campaign with a bang, finishing second in the U.S. Junior championships decathlon with a personal-record score of 6,966 points. Like his Cougar predecessors Tage Peterson and Bryan Clay, Pichler is one of America’s bright young decathletes on the horizon. He forte out of the multis is the high hurdles where he is expected to score points for Azusa Pacific at both indoors and outdoors.

Junior college transfer Akoni Clubb (Pukalani, Hawaii/Mt. SAC) should greatly benefit from training with veterans Bernard and Pichler and perhaps emerge as an All-American in both the pentathlon and decathlon

Freshman Shawn Bolcarovic (Rockaway, N.J./Morris Hills HS) is a promising decathlete who while using the 2006 season adjusting to college-level competition and mastering a full decathlon, nonetheless could score points for Azusa Pacific in the multi-events.

“For us to be successful, we have to do well in the multis, 400, mid-distances and relays,” said Reid. “We seem to have the supporting points this year that we have lacked in recent seasons.”

Once a staple area of the Cougar arsenal, Azusa Pacific has had just 2 All-Americans in the throws the past 3 seasons, one of them being javelin thrower Mark Grubbs (Eugene, Ore./Willamette) , who returns looking for a top 3 finish at the NAIA outdoors this year. Joining Grubbs to give Azusa Pacific more of a presence in the throws is junior college transfer James Ferguson (Rosemead, Calif./Mt SAC) , a certain qualifier and potential NAIA scorer in the hammer, discus and shot.

Other Cougars who have All-American abilities are juniors Peter Sherman (West Linn, Ore./West Linn HS) and Lance Soderberg (Lake Elsinore, Calif./Centennial HS) . Sherman has established himself as one of the best Cougar steeplechasers ever, clocking a personal-record 9:17.62 last year, the fourth best time in program history. Soderberg, who redshirted last season, returns to the Cougar fold for this year’s outdoor season after completing his responsibilities with the Azusa Pacific nationally-ranked men’s basketball team. Soderberg, who has a lifetime best of 6’ 9” in the high jump, qualified for the NAIA meet as 2003 freshman.

Azusa Pacific has won an unprecedented 7 straight GSAC championships. The Cougars have the strength and depth to capture an eighth crown when the conference members get together in San Diego in last April. Point Loma Nazarene, which has finished second to Azusa Pacific in all 7 of those GSAC meets, should push the Cougars to the limit.

“We’re 30 to 40 points better than we were last year” said Reid, “and we’re as good as we’ve ever been. Health, however, is such a key factor for success in track & field, perhaps like no other sport. If we’re at full strength in both March (indoor championship) and May (outdoor championships), I like our chances to compete for a national championship.”

Just an “other” year for Azusa Pacific.