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Women's Cross Country Hopes to Take Advantage of NCAA Championship Race Opportunity
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| Senior Anya Price was the
first Jumbo finisher and 23rd overall at the NCAA
Regional |
MEDFORD - The Tufts women's cross country team realized its primary goal for the 2011 season when they earned a berth into the NCAA National Championship Race. Now when they race at Nationals in Winnesconne, Wisconsin on Saturday, they will be trying to take it one step further.
"We've been looking to establish the 2011 Tufts squad as a team that is gaining momentum in New England for this whole season," said senior Anya Price. "Now we're going to focus on keeping that momentum rolling."
Head coach Kristen Morwick's Jumbos received an at-large berth into the NCAA field. They were one of five teams in New England to earn a spot in the race. Thirty-two teams overall will compete for the national championship. Tufts is making its first appearance as a team at Nationals since 2006.
Last Saturday at the NCAA Regional Championship Race hosted by Bowdoin, Price led four Jumbos who finished among the top 40 overall. That earned the squad fifth out of 51 teams at the race and consideration for a national berth. Junior tri-captain Lilly Fisher (Kansas City, MO) and sophomore Madeleine Carey (Albuquerque, NM) joined Price in earning All-Region honors with top 35 finishes.
The sophomore trio of Lauren Creath (Corte Madera, CA), Abby Barker (San Carlos, CA), and Laura Peterson (Omaha, NE) will also be at the starting line for Tufts on Saturday, along with junior Julia Hajnoczky (Wallingford, PA). Junior Melanie Monroe (Melrose, MA) is the alternate.
Despite their inexperience at the national championship level, the Jumbos will look to show strength in numbers.
"We have a chance to do well with our depth," Price said. "At such a high level of competition, being able to work off of each other and focus on passing packs rather than individuals will be very important.
"Since this is the first time racing cross country at the National level for every member of the team, it will be helpful to look out for the competition we have from our region, to keep us focused in such a hectic and competitive environment," Price added.
The race will be held at Lake Breeze Golf Course in Winneconne, with a noon starting time. As usual, the Tufts team will have the support of "four vans of Crazies," as Carey calls them. Other members of the Jumbo men's and women's cross country and track & field teams are legendary for traveling to root on their teammates at the regional and national meets. Approximately 75 were at Bowdoin last weekend, and around 40 are expected to travel by van out to Wisconsin.
"Without a doubt, they were the biggest factor in my success last weekend," Carey said. "I remember thinking, "This is what Tom Brady feels like every time he steps onto the grass at Foxboro." All I could hear for the whole race was them chanting our names and cheering."
The Jumbos will also be motivated by a desire to prove themselves on a national stage.
"We need to validate the NCAA decision to take five teams from the New England region," Carey said. "Last year, they only took four and everyone was infuriated. We heard all season that it was given that five teams would go, but now that this is a reality, we really need to bring it."
According to Carey, the Jumbos will look to finish among the top half.
"Without having talked to our coaches or the team, I think a top-15 finish is definitely on the table, but top 10 would be phenomenal and is not outside the realm of possibility," she said.
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