Competing for the first time this weekend, the men’s cross country program at University of the Pacific is labeling its inaugural season as ‘the regen,’ short for regeneration.

“There is a great vibe around the build of our team,” said first-year cross country Head Coach Isaac Wood. “We are regenerating a program from scratch essentially, and the building blocks are coming into place nicely. Through the first few days of practice, the vibe is redemptive and highly motivated, which is a really good indicator of how our team is feeling.”

Wood was hired after Pacific’s announcement in May that it would be adding men’s cross country as a new sport. After a busy summer of recruiting, the Tigers will compete for the first time Friday at the University of San Francisco Invitational, alongside the women.

“Everyone who chose to come here was excited to be part of something new and create a new culture,” Wood said. “The excitement ahead of the season is massive. A lot of the new guys are extremely motivated individuals to prove that they belong at the highest level and that they can run with the best in the country. Getting the opportunity to compete with that type of talent is very exciting.”

The men’s cross country team consists of 14 runners, all of whom found a new home over the summer after hearing and embracing Wood’s recruitment pitch.

“Once I heard about Pacific expanding its cross country program and the hiring of Coach Wood, I immediately reached out to him,” said Samuel Lanham ’27, a data science major. “I got on a call with him the next day and came to Pacific not too long after. Coach Wood got me to believe in his process and in his belief for the program very quickly.”

For Kohl Sanders ’28, a health and exercise science major, the decision to follow Wood to Pacific from Salt Lake Community College was a no-brainer. 

“Coach Wood is a man of second chances,” Sanders said. “He took me on as a walk-on. He saw something in me at Salt Lake and now I'm at Pacific because of him. I’ve improved a lot under his leadership, and I’m excited to continue that at Pacific. I’m very grateful for Coach Wood.”

The men's cross country team has been training in the Stockton community alongside the women's team. Returner Emma Kaufman ’27, an English major, has enjoyed seeing the addition of men’s cross country, noting the positive effect on herself and her teammates.

“I’m really excited to be alongside this new chapter of the Pacific cross country program,” Kaufman said. “The addition of the men’s cross country team is a step forward for the future and development of our sport in athletics here at Pacific. Having the men’s team implemented into the program means we have more people to cheer for and encourage our women’s team as well. That extra support during practice and competition will keep all of us motivated to work through training, even when it gets tough.”

Wood has set high expectations for his first year leading the program, establishing an uplifting mentality and strong work ethic.

“We are running the program as if we are one of the best teams in the NCAA and allow that process to help us have outcomes that we can be excited about,” Wood said. “With that mindset, we will be able to see the exciting things come to fruition and help our athletes reach their potential.”

The Tigers will run at home Friday, Oct. 3 at the Pacific Invitational at Micke Grove Golf Course in Lodi, California. See the full schedule here.