2004 Women's Cross Country Outlook

08/23/04 2:35PM

WILLIAMSBURG, VA - After reclaiming the CAA crown with a record score of 18 points in 2003, William and Mary enters the 2004 campaign aiming to repeat its efforts and return a young but talented team to the NCAA Championship. Despite heavy turnover due to graduation, the squad is primed to achieve these goals. Although youthful, the team’s runners aren’t short on championship caliber experience and have already proven they belong among the elite ranks of competitors. With reigning CAA Coach of the Year Pat Van Rossum at the helm guiding the squad, William and Mary seems assured of continuing its tradition of excellence.

“I’m very excited about this team,” Van Rossum said. “Although we might not have a lot of seniors with high-level cross country experience, this team isn’t short on talent or experience. I think our runners bring a wealth of success and ability which we can build our team around.”

Five impact runners, led by senior Jackie Kosakowski, will front the team.

Kosakowski returns for her senior season off a third-straight all-conference year. The former CAA Rookie of the Year will be one of the team's lead runners, but it is off the grass where her experience will be most important. Challenged with leading a young squad, Kosakowski has committed to stepping up her role and is dedicated to improving her already high level of performance.

Junior Kristyn Shiring is expected to slot beside Kosakowski as one of the team’s top performers. Shiring impressed her freshman season as the team's third runner at the NCAA Championship, but battled through injury most of her sophomore season. After leading the Tribe at Pre-Nationals last year, she looks to return to her all-conference form of two years ago and provide veteran leadership and experience to the squad.

Two sophomores who made an immediate impact as freshmen aim to continue their rapid improvement since joining Van Rossum's program. CAA Co-Rookies of the Year Meghan Bishop and Julia Cathcart made powerful debuts, helping the Tribe to a record score at the CAA Championship. Cathcart, who was the Tribe's top rookie at the CAA Championship with a strong fourth-place effort, made great strides during the track season, cutting more than a minute off her time in the 5,000m before ending up with an NCAA Regional qualification. Bishop, whose prep experience favored the middle distances, aims to continue her successful transition to distance running. Bishop impressed as the Tribe's third runner at the NCAA Southeast Regional and made greater strides during the track season as an All-East performer, CAA Champion and NCAA Regional qualifier.

Also slated to fill a leading role for the Tribe is sophomore Heather Stevenson, who redshirted last cross country season. Like Bishop, Stevenson came into the program with more experience in middle distance running but her strength has been shown to be the longer distances. An all-conference performer in the steeplechase, Van Rossum expects Stevenson to step up nicely in cross country.

Complementing this front five will be a number of seasoned veterans with years of experience. Junior Karen Pulliam is a strong runner who specializes in the steeplechase during the track season, where she missed ECAC qualification by just a few seconds. A tough competitor, Pulliam has learned how to condition herself properly to be durable throughout the entire season.

A trio of middle distance aces will aim to contribute during the cross country season, led by senior Erin Masterson. One of the few seniors on the squad, Masterson will be a source of veteran leadership for the team, bringing a wealth of ECAC track relay experience. With consistent training, she should make an impact in her senior season. Lauren Heron, a junior, will also challenge to break into the team's top runners. A former CAA Champion in the 1,500m, Heron has competed for the squad at the NCAA Championship and looks to recapture the form of her stellar freshman campaign. Fellow junior Loren Cutright anticipates a breakout season and is ready to consistently be one of the team's top-seven runners. Junior Ruth Loyer just missed All-CAA accolades by claiming 13th in 2003, and is a threat to attain the honor this season.

Two potential stars will also vie for spots on the travel squad. Sophomore Amy Maier made the travel squad several times during her freshman campaign, showing potential as the team's seventh runner at Great American. Senior Becca Velarde will lean on her veteran skills to help the team. During the track season, Velarde stepped up from the middle distance ranks to run the 10,000m at CAAs, just missing scoring, and aims to transfer that ability to cross country.

Completing the squad will be a number of solid runners aiming to step up to contribute. Included in this category are sophomore Christy Dannenberg and senior Sarah Roessler. Both are former scorers in the 10,000m at CAAs and have shown great potential. Jessica Allred, a CAA scorer in the steeplechase, and sophomore Kate Willever, who redshirted both cross country and track last year, could also step up and contribute. Also aiming to improve and make an impact are senior Meredith Holaday, junior Shelley Knewstep and sophomore Jessica Wolfe.

As always, a strong freshman class will look to contribute and several rookies could make an immediate impact. Katie Endres, Erin Prillaman and Julie Taylor have succeeded at an all-state level in both track and cross country. Taylor Barr, Abby Booker, Ellen Childress, Kaitlin Hurley and Kaylan Kemink have specialized in the longer distances in high school while Meghan Bohren, Emily Gousen, Allie Lewis and Pam Rosato are seasoned in the middle distances and look to step up and compete in cross country.

With a strong mix of experienced veterans and proven underclassmen, this hungry William and Mary squad is ready to defend its conference title, gain even more valuable experience and make another run at the NCAA Championship.