How do I join a college sports team with no prior experience?

I am from a very small town with a very small school. There is no cross country team here, I have no experience with this sport but I am fit and very good at running. All the applications I have looked at have asked for prior coach's references and I have been told that I can not just try out when I attend the school. What can I do because I am very interested in joining a cross country team.