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The 1977 team was the first national championship team for Hall of Fame Head Coach Dr. Joe I. Vigil who was on a sabbatical during the 1971 championship run. At the NAIA Championship meet in Kenosha, Wisconsin, Adams State posted a winning team score of 102 with Saginaw Valley (Mich.) placing second overall with a score of 133. At the conclusion of the season Dr. Vigil earned his very first NAIA Cross Country Coach of the Year award. The program carried a No. 1 national ranking for the duration of the season and claimed a RMAC title with a team score of 25 at the championship meet hosted by Southern Utah State College in Cedar City, Utah. At the RMAC Championships, Frank Rivera (26:07) took the individual title as Bob Fink (26:17), Andy Montanez (26:36), Leonard Lopez (27:16), and Scott McMillan (27:47) placed 2nd, 5th, 7th, and 10th place, respectively. The team held a significant edge over Western State College who placed second overall with a team score of 73. The program added a NAIA District 7 title prior to their NAIA National Championship.
At the NAIA National Championship meet, Frank Rivera (7th place), Bob Fink (8th), Andy Montanez (10th), and Scott McMillan (19th) were named All-Americans by virtue of placing in the top 25. The team finished with less than a one minute pack time as Leonard Lopez (99th) and Robert Trujillo (201st) rounded out the Adams State field at the championships.
The 1977 team was inducted into the RMAC Hall of Fame in 2008 with Dr. Vigil earning an individual induction into the RMAC Hall of Fame in 2003. Dr. Vigil was a member of Adams State's Athletic Hall of Fame class in 2000.
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