As a freshman, Diana Hossfeld goes into every practice and race this season without really knowing what to expect.
Running for a high school team ranked eighth in the nation in 1999, the California native is one of nine incoming freshmen. She provides new talent to an already strong Northwestern cross country squad that only seems to get better after each race.
“The freshmen have definitely made their presence known,” co-captain Karen Rogers said. “(Hossfeld) is a wonderful surprise.”
Stepping in as the No. 2 runner in the past three meets, Hossfeld takes each day in stride, allowing herself to focus on the higher level of competition.
“I’ve been fine with the adjustments,” Hossfeld said. “It’s pretty early and all the big races have yet to come. All I can really say is I’m going to try my hardest.”
In a season that began with a new coaching staff, a canceled meet due to the events of Sept. 11 and a faster training regimen, the Wildcats are sticking with what works while adjusting when necessary.
“A lot of things have been kept the same,” Rogers said. “The running workouts have changed quite a bit, though. We do longer stuff without much rest. Probably the biggest change is that there are fewer girls in the upper class. There are so many new runners on the team.”
With the intensity of practice workouts increasing to levels not seen since the program was reinstated at NU in 1998, there is a feeling that the team is entering a new phase with a new coach and a young team.
“Because there are so many friendships with the freshmen, they have become tight-knit,” Rogers said. “The upperclassmen have bonded together. These are people who have been there years before. At the same time, the upperclassmen are getting to know the freshmen.”
As the new runners begin to figure out their roles for the team, the Cats’ season also takes a different form. At this point in the year, each race becomes dramatically more important.
An extra 6,000 meters in Saturday’s Roy Griak Invitational should force the team to stay on its toes. This is the first time the Cats will run a 6K race this season, and it is also the first race in which they can accumulate points for the NCAA Championships in November.
Head coach Amy Tush said the Invitational has become one of the premier meets of the year. With at least 10 of the top teams in the nation competing at the event, held at the Les Bolstad Golf Course in Minneapolis, the Invitational could prove to be crucial for the Cats.
Last year, NU took 11th place in a 29-team field. A 10th-place finish would have given the team a bid to the NCAA Championships.
“It’s so important to beat so many people for the end of the season,” Evjen said. “Who you beat at the beginning of October is what actually matters.”
After winning last weekend’s race in Champaign, Ill., Evjen said if the team ranks between 14th and 16th place in a tough field, this Saturday’s race will be a success.
“We know that this race is important, so everyone will be stepping it up a little,” Evjen said. “If we just emphasize staying together, we’ll run our race.”
