Cross Country
Distance Tradition
The teams have been known to contend for a top three finish at the NWAC Championships and has the number three best co-ed conference finishes over the last decade. The men's team was third the last three years at the NWAC Championships and won the Southern Region Championships in 2013 with a convincing 26 to 53 point victory. The Cougars are often one of the top teams in the Southern Region, and in 2011 they were the co-ed champions. Clackamas is the home of Lisa Ondieki who was the 1998 silver medalist in the marathon and is said to be the best female distance runner in Australia's history. She is the former World Record Holder in the women's marathon when she ran 2:24:40. Brian Abshire went on to be the US National Champion in the steeple chase where he went on to compete in the 1988 Olympics. Paul Kezes ran 14:12 while training at Clackamas and went on to compete on the US National Cross Country team and ran a personal best of 13:50.
Our alumni have been successful at the university level after leaving Clackamas. Kennedy Rufener placed fourth at the NCAA Division II National Championships in the 10,000 meters running 35:05 and has a personal best time of 16:49 in the 5,000 meters. These are astronomical accomplishments for Kennedy considering she ran 22:22 for 5,000 meters in high school cross country. Andria Scheese went on to be a 5-time NAIA All-American and has a personal bests of 16:58 and 4:28. Jessica Harper and Lyndsey McKillip went 6th and 7th at the NCAA Division II National Championships in the steeple. John Butkey and Patrick Searing were on the NCAA Division II National Championship cross country team in 2005. Chris Olsen earned All-American status in the indoor 800 at the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships. Badane Sultessa ran 1:47 in the 2015 track and field season, which was the 37th fastest time in the country for all levels. Jose Macias ran 14:44 for 5,000 meters in 2016 to show our continued success in the distances.
Academic Success
Clackamas works hard to achieve success in the classroom as well as the athletic field. There is academic tracking and communication with instructors to help ensure solid performance in classes. It is the belief that athletes perform better knowing their athletic future at Clackamas depends upon doing well in the classroom in order to stay eligible as well as having an attractive transcript for four-year institutions to look at.
Team Atmosphere
It is the philosophy that distance running is a team sport much like the great Arkansas coach John McDonnell believed. It is the responsibility of each member to help others get better not just themselves. Strength in numbers is key with all members working together toward a common goal.
If you're interested in joining the distance athletics program, contact Keoni McHone at 503-594-3273.
Cross-Country Staff List
Michelle Rose
503-594-3273
Coach Rose has spent her life being an avid runner. She began competing at 10 years old and never looked back. She attended Linfield College and participated in both the cross country and track & field programs.
Rose graduated in 2009 with a BA in Exercise Science and a focus in coaching. She began her career in the health and wellness industry upon graduation. In 2009, she was the assistant coach at Sunset High School and obtained her personal training certification as an Exercise Physiologist. In 2015, Rose became a certified Nutrition Coach.
Rose spent 5 years training at RiverPlace Athletic Club before starting her own personal training business which she still owns today. She focuses on instilling the passion of fitness in all those she works with.
Michelle continues to compete in various races ranging from the 1500m to 1/2 marathon. Her and her husband, Tyler, reside in Oregon City with their daughter, Sophie.
Keoni McHone
503-594-3273 | keonim@clackamas.edu
Coach McHone heads up administrative duties for the Clackamas cross country program. He previously was the head cross country coach for eleven years at Clackamas and is entering his twentieth year of collegiate coaching. The distance program has regularly been one of the top-four programs in the conference after moving out of the distance coach role and into being the director of cross country.
He personally has had a successful career in cross country with three individual NWAC Champions and nine All-Americans. The women’s program has finished first two times under McHone, second place one time and one third-place finish at the NWAC Championships.
The men have finished second two times and third three times under McHone. In the Southern Region, the women have finished first three years and second three years since 2001. The men have finished first two times and second five years since 2001. His fastest female has run 18:09 for 5,000 and fastest male has run 24:49 for 8,000.
His distance athletes have gone on to be second at the NAIA Championships in the women’s 1,500, 6th and 11th at the NCAA Division II in the women’s steeplechase and two athletes who were on an NCAA Division II Cross Country Championship team. McHone is a two-time NWAACC Coach of the Year and six-time Southern Region Coach of the Year.
McHone is also in his twelfth year as the head track and field coach after being an assistant for six years at Clackamas. He has coached many athletes on the top-ten list including eight school records and five other school records while the head coach.
McHone got his start coaching the sprints and relays at Western Oregon University (1998 and 1999) where his athletes broke into many of the top-10 lists and also set multiple indoor and outdoor relay records. He coached many NAIA All-Americans in his two years at WOU before he came to Clackamas.
McHone earned his master's degree when he was 23 years old, where he accomplished his master's thesis study on unilateral versus bilateral squat training and its effects on vertical jumping and sprinting and continues to be an expert in strength and conditioning.