This past weekend, the Blazer cross-country team traveled to Waverly, Iowa, to compete in the NCAA Division III Regional Championship meet. The Blazers had an impressive finish to their season, placing eighth out of 28 teams.
“This team scored 92 points less than last year,” Head Coach Robin Balder-Lanoue said. “In cross-country, you try to score less points.”
Despite the team’s high-finish, only the top two teams automatically advance to the NCAA National tournament.
“Overall, as a team we did everything Robin asked us to do,” senior Kaycee Knutson said. “We improved from the conference meet and we took the steps [Robin] asked us to. We took control of everything we could have.”
Leading the pack of Blazers was first-year Manon Gammon-Deering. She finished first amongst her teammates with an impressive time of 23:12.2.
“It was probably the best I have felt racing all year,” Gammon-Deering said. “I felt mentally prepared, well tapered and I am really proud of our team.”
Gammon-Deering, who reached her goal of placing in the top 35, also received the high honor of being named All-Regional.
“I feel really blessed with the season and I owe it to great coaching and amazing teammates,” Gammon-Deering said.
Knutson, another strong finisher, ended her cross-country career placing 46th overall with a time of 23:36.7.
“I feel very accomplished,” Knutson said. “I have put more time and energy into this season than any other season. It was a good way to finish my cross-country career and I can look back and feel proud of how our team connected and how I raced overall.”
Contributing to much of the success of this year’s team was the well-recruited first-year class.
“A lot of our strength came from our underclassman. Three of our seven top performers were first-years,” Knutson said.
In addition to Gammon-Deering, other new assets to the team include first-years Bailey Drewes and Kathryn Keller-Miller. Drewes placed 43rd overall. Keller-Miller finished soon after at 45th overall.
Although the 2012 season seems like awhile away, there is not much down time for the athletes.
“I will take two weeks off and then start running again,” Gammon-Deering said.
Both Gammon-Deering and Knutson also participate in track, along with several other teammates.
Although the team is graduating two key athletes, Kaycee Knutson and Katy Torchia, the strong first-year class makes for a bright future.
“We only have two seniors graduating from the top seven, so we are looking forward to our future,” Coach Balder-Lanoue said.