This summer we'll be featuring various coaches from our 23 teams in a Q&A format on UCSDTritons.com as well as our social media accounts.

Nate Garcia enters his 16th season as head coach of UC San Diego's men's and women's cross country programs. The former Triton graduated in 2000 and has been a member of the coaching staff since 2002.

In 13 seasons coaching the Tritons as a Division II program, Garcia guided his alma mater to seven NCAA Championship appearances between individual and team qualifiers, while also coaching and developing several All-California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) and NCAA All-West Region honorees.

In addition to leading the cross country teams, Garcia also coaches distance events for the UC San Diego track and field teams.

Garcia was a four-year letterwinner in both cross country and track at UCSD from 1996 to 2000. During his time as a Triton, he earned numerous athletic and academic awards, including Academic All-District and CCAA Scholar-Athlete honors in 2000-01. He was also recognized by UCSD on National Student-Athlete Day that same year.

What's an interesting fact about you that's not listed in your bio?
I've lived my whole life in San Diego.

Any exciting summer plans?
I'll be attending the World Championships for Track and Field.

What are three words you would use to describe your team culture?
Commitment, integrity, love.

What has stood out to you most in the transition to Division I competition?
It has been a real pleasure to watch our current squad and our newcomers step up to the new challenges and hold their own.
 
What are you looking forward to most with your squad next season?
I am looking forward to getting to know the new team. We have graduated a great group of Tritons but are bringing in another great class. Each year the dynamic is a little different so I am very excited to get started. Competitively, I am looking forward to getting the squad out on the course. It should be an extremely exciting season.

What is your favorite coaching memory?
There are so many great moments over my 20 years of coaching. So many amazing athletes, fierce competitors. School records, All-Americans, conference champions, a laundry list of names and accomplishments. One of the moments that stood out to me was a couple years ago at a wedding between a couple alums. Mid-way through the night an alum came up to me and thanked me. Not for the workouts, or the races, or the team events, but for family that we were surrounded by and all of the life lessons learned along the way.

Who has influenced you most in your career and why?
Without question former Triton Head Cross Country and Track Coach Ted Van Arsdale. Ted taught me a tremendous amount about the sport when I was a member of the team. That carried forward into my 5 years working for him as an assistant Coach and he continues to be a great sounding board and resource to me. Ted taught me that within sport (as in life) there is great value in doing the right thing the right way. Ted was a champion of treating people with respect and dignity and I continue to work towards following his model.

What's one piece of advice you've received that has stuck with you?
I am not sure that this is a specific piece of advice I have received. However, something that has really stood out to me over the years is that while the results out on the cross country course or the track have value, the real mission of college athletics is to help individuals grow and mature through their time on our teams. As coaches we get the privilege of being a part of that journey. As soon as we lose focus on the priority of human development or start making exceptions to win competitions, we have missed the mark.

What advice would you give to potential student-athletes who are going through the recruiting process?
Enjoy the process! The college search can be super stressful as you look for the right school. It is easy to get caught up in chasing the flashy name-brand, or the school that will impress your friends. In the long run you are much better off having fun in the search and finding the right place to call home. Focus on the culture of the team and school and find a coach who will legitimately care about you and not just your stats.

Check back on UCSDTritons.com all summer long for future editions of “Coaches' Corner" from other UC San Diego coaches. Previous “Coaches' Corner” entries are below.

• Kristin Jones (Women's Soccer)
• Juan Ignacio Calderon (Fencing)
• Fred Hanover (Men's Golf)

About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program has begun a new era as a member of the Big West Conference in NCAA Division I. The 23-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 83 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 38 have garnered prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 90 percent, the highest rate among public institutions in Division I or II. For more information on the Tritons, visit UCSDtritons.com or follow UC San Diego Athletics on social media @UCSDtritons.