For San Bernardino Valley College men’s cross country coach Jim Ratigan, the 2022 season was considered a down year.
Sure, the Wolverines easily won the Inland Empire Athletic Conference championship. But when it came to competing at the highest level in the state, SBVC struggled. The Wolverines finished 19th of the 21 teams competing in the race in 2022.
Ratigan vowed the 2023 season would be better. And he and his team delivered.
For his efforts, Ratigan was selected the California Community College Cross Country and Track Coach Association’s men’s cross country coach of the year.
In 2023, the Wolverines finished in second place at the Southern California Preview race, then won the Chaffey Invitational. In October, the team swept the top five spots to once again capture the Inland Empire Athletic Conference championship.
At the state level, the Wolverines finished fifth at the Southern California Championships, then held serve at the state level, finishing fifth (behind the same four teams from Southern California) at the CCCAA State Championships at Woodward Park in Fresno.
It is the third time in 10 years that Ratigan has received the honor, something he is proud to have received.
“This means a lot, since this is an award voted on by your peers,” Ratigan said. “To be recognized for the hard work you’ve put in is a great honor.”
Ratigan, who retired as a full-time teacher last spring, is looking forward to helping lead the SBVC track and field distance crew in the spring, and has already been busy building his cross country team for next fall, when he could have as many as 10 runners returning.