University’s Marquand Off Team

Allyson Marquand, The Times Orange County girls’ cross-country runner of the year last season, confirmed Friday that she had been dismissed from the University High cross-country team last week for reasons she refused to disclose.

“Basically it’s been an ongoing dispute between the coaches and myself and it resulted in my dismissal,” Marquand said. “It wasn’t my choice. [The coaches] dismissed me from the team.

“I can’t comment on what the dispute is, but we’re in the process of trying to resolve it. It involves a lot of factors,” Marquand said.

“As of now, I plan on running cross-country next year and I plan on running track [in the spring].”

Marquand, a junior, is an All-Pacific Coast League soccer player for the Trojans.

“My situation is the same as it has been for the last two seasons,” Marquand said. “The rules have been changed from the past.”

Cross-country Coach Kerry Prins and her assistant, Chuck Hernandez, who are in their first year at University, refused comment, but Hernandez confirmed Marquand is no longer on the team.

Ingrid Bruder, who coaches girls’ soccer at University, refused comment.

Marquand is a two-time Orange County Championships winner, and finished second in the Division II state finals (17 minutes 53 seconds) and Southern Section finals (16:34) in 1996.

This season, Marquand won the Division I junior/senior girls’ race (17:55) at the Laguna Hills Invitational on Sept. 13 and missed the Woodbridge Invitational because of an illness.