MENLO SCHOOL Since 1915
About the Team
The trailblazing cross-country team continues to raise the bar. Not only have the Knights set school and league records in recent years, they have had more athletes participating than ever.
Both the girls’ and boys’ teams raced in the 2023 CCS Championships and came away with a team state bid, and an individual CCS champion. Sophomore Ariya Kaushek won the Div. V girls’ race for a section title and the Knights boys’ team took silver at CCS before advancing to state where Menlo raced to an impressive fourth-place finish among 24 qualifying teams in a competitive Div. V field.
In 2018, the girls’ team brought home the first section championship and the first one in program history since the boys won in 1997 and 1998. Both the boys’ and girls’ teams qualified for the CCS Championships in 2023, 2017 and 2014.
The Coach
Jorge Chen (11th season)
Jorge Chen, is entering his 11th season as cross-country program director and has been coaching at Menlo for 23 years.
Chen has led the charge in taking the Knights to the state level, and generating high participation numbers in the sport. Menlo’s longtime cross country, track & field coach and assistant soccer coach Chen won a Positive Coaching Alliance National Double-Goal Coach® Award in 2019 for his positive impact on youth sports and was one of four to be recognized at the National Youth Sports Awards.
Chen, who is also Menlo’s track & field head coach, was named CCS Honor Coach in 2023. He, along with Donoson FitzGerald, has developed a successful middle school cross country and track program. Chen was honored by Menlo in 2009 with the Bagshaw Family Award for Coaching Excellence as an assistant cross country, soccer, track and field and Middle School coach.
At Stanford, Chen ran the 200 and 400 from 1993-1995 and competed in crew in 1996 and 1997. Chen was a top-level runner for San Mateo High School track and field, including the Peninsula Athletic League 1990 and 1991 championship teams.
