Justin Hesser
Sports Editor
Last season, after the Ball State women's cross country team won its first Mid-American Conference Championship in school history, they weren't able to make it to the NCAA Cross Country Championships. This year they want to do both.
"Obviously we're very motivated to try and defend our title," head coach Sue Parks said. "Every year is a new year and we know it's going to be really tough even though we have most of the team back."
The Cardinals will only lose two seniors, Crystal Meeks and Lindsay Keazer. Last season, Meeks had five finishes in the top 10 and was named to the Second Team All-MAC.
Senior Jill Scully will be the top returner. Last season she placed in the top 10 at five meets, including a second place finish at the MAC Championships. Scully was named to the First Team All-MAC for her efforts. Senior Sarah Huddleston will return as the No. 2 runner.
The team will also welcome a veteran transfer from McNeese State and a freshman recruit.
Parks said it should still be a challenge for the team to repeat, even with the incoming talent and several returning runners.
"It's always a challenge when you've won the year before because everyone is kind of gunning for you," Parks said. "We're motivated and now that we finally made it to the top we want to try and stay there."
Making it to the top has also helped the returning Cardinals know that they can compete with the top teams in the MAC. Prior to winning the MAC Championship last season the team had finished as runners-up three times, just unable to make that last burst to the top.
"I think it gave us the confidence that we could get in there and compete with those teams and finally nail down the win," Parks said.
After the team won the MAC Championship last season, they finished eighth at the Great Lakes Regional, which wasn't high enough for them to qualify for the NCAA Championships.
"We didn't finish up all that well in the regional meet, so I think we're really motivated to try and defend our title as well as having a shot at continuing on to the NCAAs," Parks said. "We still have some goals in mind; we still feel like we have a lot to achieve trying to do both."
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