Looking forward to the last GLIAC Conference Championship race in his cross-country career, senior Caleb Gatchell said he’s excited to see what his team will be able to accomplish.
“It’s the point of the year where we’re getting close to where the hay is in the barn,” Gatchell said. “We’ve had some stuff happen this season, but the volume’s been good, our base is good, and we’re working out better than we ever have.”
After showing signs of improvement over last year in earlier races this season, Gatchell and company will look to improve over last year’s eighth place GLIAC finish at this year’s meet in Big Rapids on Saturday. Saturday’s race will mark the beginning of the cross country “championship season,” which starts at the conference meet and runs through the national championship.
The men, who go into the race ranked 11th nationally and third in the Midwest Regional, should be at full strength in the race with transfer-sophomore Nick Fiene returning after suffering from an ankle sprain at the team’s meet in Louisville earlier this season.
“I think we’re happy with where we are for right now, but we’re going to keep working hard,” Gatchell said. “Especially for seniors, we want it to be a historic year, so we’re going to go everything we can to make that happen.”
The women’s team will be harder pressed to improve upon their second place finish at last year’s GLIAC championship.
With freshman stand-out Arena Lewis still unable to race on Saturday, the women’s team will have to dig deeper against GLIAC rivals like Grand Valley State and Northern Michigan University. With significant improvements by senior Meri Didier, junior Amanda Reagle, as well as the team’s two other freshman, Addison Rauch and Kate Vanderstelt, the women still have a good chance at matching last year’s second-place GLIAC finish.
Going into Saturday’s race, the women are ranked 12th nationally and third in the Midwest Regional.
“The team is in a great position. Everybody has been working hard, especially Amanda Reagle and Meri Didier, who did an extra 800 meters at the end of our workout yesterday that wasn’t required,” junior Hannah McIntyre said. “That’s just indicative of the spirit that people are in and that people are willing to put the work.”
On Oct. 7, the team hosted the Michigan Intercollegiate Championship at Hayden Park. Both the men’s and women’s teams won their race, and McIntyre was named GLIAC Women’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week for her performance.
