As the new school year and season rolled around - two things matrimonially joined for distance runners everywhere - change had taken effect. With the off-season resignation of former Ball State University track and cross country head coach Sue Parks, last year's assistant Todd Lane moved into the interim position. Uneasiness was felt at first, especially from the new recruits, but the runners slowly worked into the season.
"I was a bit skeptical at first because I had been talking to her [Parks] for about nine months to a year," freshman Ali Bishel said. "I understood and I have a lot of respect for her, though it was a shocker, but after I got here Todd and his wife were so knowledgeable and we're having a lot of fun."
Graduation hit the Cardinals hard as well, taking away all-MAC selection Jill Scully and Nicole Hartford, which left seniors Rose Lehe and Amanda Ponsot as the new leaders. The only other returning runner is sophomore Vanessa Gilbert, who has yet to run this year because of injury.
With the first two races of the year dominated up front by freshmen Bishel and Sarah Kehe, who also happen to be roomates and Chesterton High School products, young dominance seems to be abound.
However, both Bishel and Kehe relay credit to the elders on the squad.
"The real leaders of the team are Rose and Amanda; a lot of us are still just learning the ropes," Kehe said. "We look to them for a lot and we really depend on them."
With such a young team, chemistry was a concern at first, but never became a problem.
"Everything is definitely working well even with us not being very familiar at first," Kehe added. "We came to find out that we all have so much in common and that made coming here very helpful."
Tomorrow the Cardinals hit the road yet again, traveling to Three Rivers, Mich. for the Bronco Invitational, hosted by Western Michigan University. The race will be held at 5:15 p.m. at the Pineview golf course in Three Rivers.
"With every weekend we really don't know what to expect and we look to Rose and Amanda for that," Bishel said. "For this weekend though, (we) just hope to keep improving, run more in a pack and hopefully use it as a segue into the more important meets ahead."
With six first year runners, the Cardinals have a strong core to build upon for the next few years and enough to, perhaps, become a force in the MAC.
"It definitely helps when looking at the future with the youth of this team," Bishel said. "It's only the third meet in a lot of our careers and so it should play out well in the coming years."
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