The women’s cross country team finished 15 points out of fifth place at the Division II Midwest regional meet last year – the second year in a row they missed the national race by one spot.
So will this season be déjà vu all over again? Senior Mary Margaret Peter said no.
“The women are making the national meet this year,” she said. “You can quote me on that.”
Besides one graduate, both men and women return their entire squads from last year. The relatively young teams will look to build on solid 2012 seasons, running toward the perennial September goal: nationals.
The Hillsdale women begin the season ranked second in the region and 11th in the nation, according to the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. The men’s team is ranked 9th in the region, but hasn’t yet cracked the top-20 nationally.
Two freshmen join the women’s team this season.
“But they more than make up for it in quality,” women’s head coach Andrew Towne said. “They’re two of the better freshman we’ve ever had.”
The women’s front pack – sophomore Emily Oren, sophomore Kristina Galat, and senior captain Victoria McCaffrey – all made the All-Region team in 2012.
They, with their teammates, will be joined by two freshman runners.
Towne noted that the freshman class of runners is smaller than usual but added that they “more than make up for it in quality.”
For team goals, Towne said outside expectations, last season’s near miss, and even nationals are all besides the point.
Their focus, he said, is much narrower.
“If we get the most out of ourselves, the outcome goals will take care of themselves,” he said.
The competition between now and nationals will be fierce for both the men and women.
“Outside of possibly the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, the GLIAC is easily the most competitive conference in all of Division II,” senior men’s captain Matt Van Egmond said. “It’s definitely a tough, tough, field.”
Top runners for the men include juniors Matt Perkins, Luke Hickman, and All-American Joshua Mirth.
Nine freshmen runners joined the men this fall. Coach Jeff Forino said several of them will contribute to the team’s competition squad immediately.
Forino said he’s particularly excited about freshman Luke Daigneault, who ran well in the team’s 4000 meter time trial last week.
The men finished 9th at regionals last year – four spots from nationals – but they competed without Perkins. A knee injury ended his season early.
Both teams begin the season healthy, though for the women there is one notable exception. They will be without junior Amy Kerst this season. She’ll redshirt this season after a track season injury lingered through summer.
This year, the NCAA gave one less national bid to the men’s and women’s Midwest regions. In each race, roughly 30 teams will compete for four spots. Hillsdale hasn’t sent a team of either sex to nationals since 2010.
