Women ready to run at Districts
By KATHLEEN O'BRIEN
Associate Sports Editor
The talent is there. The team is in shape.
The only thing the Irish lack is getting the whole team to run its best on the same day, hopefully this Saturday in the NCAA District IV meet in Ypsilanti, Mich.
"We haven't had a meet all year where we've had seven people step up and run as well as they can," women's cross country coach Tim Connelly said, "which is what we need to do."
The Irish have a single senior running varsity, Chrissy Kuenster. The lack of experience may have been a factor in early-season struggles.
"They're fit. We've got girls with talent. The one thing it might be is a lack of confidence," Connelly said. "The one senior that we've got in the group is running very, very well. She's exceeded my expectations."
Different runners have stepped up all season long. Some days, it's been Kuenster, other times, Jen Handley or Rachel Endress have taken on the challenge. But never have all seven varsity runners hit the mark.
"We've all had a good race at some point in the season," sophomore Handley said, "but for some reason, all seven of us haven't been able to do it at the same meet. Hopefully this week we will."
Notre Dame faltered in the Big East Championships in late October, placing sixth overall in a loaded field. Saturday's field will also be top-heavy, led by No. 3 Wisconsin and top-25 teams Michigan and Marquette.
"I think we're just starting to realize that we're as good as the other teams that we've looked up to," Kuenster said. "In the race, we have to be ready to take the top spots individually, and not accept anything less."
About 30 teams will take the line at Districts. The top two finishers earn automatic berths to the NCAA Championships. At-large schools are also selected based on their performance during the season. Since Notre Dame has not raced up to its practice potential, according to Connelly, it likely needs at least a top-three finish to make it to nationals.
"We've got to step it up immensely," Connelly said. "We're probably going to have to finish no worse than third."
The race will be 6,000-meters long, a kilometer up from the usual 5,000-meter distance.
"Mostly people are just excited," Handley said. "It could be our last race. People are just going to go to the line with as much intensity as they have left."
All Sports Stories for Friday, November 10, 2000
