Nursing a head cold last year at the Pre-Nationals meet in Iowa, Rachel Evjen fought for position throughout the race but was smothered by other runners struggling to cross the finish line.
The 56-team race had more runners than Evjen anticipated and proved too much for both her and the Wildcats, who placed 28th and lost a final opportunity to gain an at-large bid for the NCAA Championships in November.
For the first time last year, the team was disappointed with its performance – a turning point for the Cats’ season and their unsuccessful campaign for nationals.
With that experience in its rear-view mirror, and after sitting out last weekend’s meet at Notre Dame, the 2001 varsity cross country squad is rested and won’t have to worry about a crowded finish line this time around.
“They’re dividing teams into two races,” Evjen said. “Last year we had a big problem in Iowa because it was so congested at the finish line. Whoever we’re running against, if they’re rated, we’re definitely just gonna have to go after them.”
Running against fierce competition in Saturday’s Pre-National Invitational in Furman, S.C., the Cats will participate in the women’s Purple 6K race against 36 other teams, 12 of which are ranked in the Top 25 or received votes in the latest NCAA Division I poll. The other race, the women’s Silver 6K race, will have a total of 38 teams.
“We know this is an important meet,” Evjen said. “By dividing the teams into two races, we’re not too sure if we’re going to like it. Considering rankings, if we happen to beat a top team, that’s a win for us.”
The Cats are in position to determine their own destiny for the NCAA Championships. In what will be the team’s final season outing before the Big Ten Championships on Oct. 28, the Cats can gain much-needed points for nationals by performing well this weekend.
“It’s a good opportunity for our team,” junior Karen Rogers said. “If we can beat the teams here, we’ll be ready for nationals. Our team is focusing a lot on closing the gap between our fifth and sixth runners. Basically, it is important to stand out since there is more competition.”
With top-ranked Colorado and three top-10 teams in the Purple 6K race, the Cats will focus on trying to make a good impression – something that coach Amy Tush has pushed for the entire season.
By giving the top 12 runners a week off to prepare for this race, Tush has helped some young runners see the magnitude of some of the bigger races this season.
“This is a really big meet,” said freshman Diana Hossfeld, who has been the team’s No. 2 runner this season. “I never really know how big they are until we get there. The week off helped give us a chance to relax and take a break. Mentally, it’s hard to race every week.”
The Cats will send a B-Squad to run next weekend’s Foster Invitational in Lake Forest, Ill., thus making this the final race of the regular season.
“Working together is really important,” Hossfeld said. “Like finding each other in the race – we need to focus on staying together. For our team to do really well, we need to try to get closer and work together.”
