Could Beavers put together a special year?
Cross country team’s third edition has more promise than any before
By Brooks Hatch
Corvallis Gazette-Times
Oregon State might have its best women’s cross country team since the program returned from an 18-year hiatus in 2004.
Whether or not that potential translates to real success remains to be seen.
“It’s our strongest team on paper, but there still are some questions,” third-year coach Kelly Sullivan said. “You never know what you’re going to get, but we’re excited about this year.”
The Beavers placed eighth at the Pacific-10 Conference meet and 12th at the 30-team NCAA West Regional in their second season of competition. They begin competition Sept. 2 with their annual intrasquad meet at Avery Park. Their first regular-season meet is the Sept. 16 Sundodger Invitational at Seattle.
OSU will be without Ashley Younce, its two-year mainstay. A senior who just missed advancing to the NCAA championships after placing 23rd at the NCAA West Regional, Younce is studying in Austria this term.
“It’s something we knew about last winter,” Sullivan said. “It’s a big loss for us, but we’ve moved on.”
Her absence will be mitigated by the return of three runners who would have been major contributors in 2005 had they been healthy and not redshirted.
Junior Neoma Palmer and sophomore Lauren Denfield both made the 2004 lineup; Palmer was 36th at Pac-10s and 58th at regionals; Denfield was 78th at Pac-10s and 121st at regionals. Junior Danya Rumore, a former Willamette University standout who transferred to OSU in 2005-06, will run this season.
Other veterans back are juniors Kaitlin Poggi (58th at NCAA West Regional), Ashley Francis (75), Nicole Crawford (86) and Jean-Marie Peterson (136), and senior Katie Dye (127).
Sullivan also expects contributions from sophomores Holly Thompson and Sylvia Veal.
“They are coming off good track seasons and both had great summers of training,” he said.
Sullivan’s four-woman recruiting class could help immediately.
• Holly Dieu of Coquille placed second at the 2005 3A state meet in 18:17, the third-fastest time among competitors from all classes. She was a four-time district champion, and won the 2004 state title in 18:18.
• Megan Hibner of North Bend was third at the state 3A meet in 18:47; she would have placed fifth at the 4A competition.
• Krista Stangel of Enterprise was the 2005 and 2004 state 2A/1A champion, and placed third in 2003.
• Hayley Oveson of LaGrande placed 18th at the 2005 state 3A meet after taking third as a junior. She is the daughter of former OSU hurdler Jeff Oveson.
“They won 12 state championships (combined) in high school (including track),” Sullivan said. “Anyone of those four we can count on contributing pretty much right off the bat. Last year we brought in some young kids who were below the radar. All four of these kids are definite Division I prospects who could have gone anywhere, especially with the type of students they are.”
Sullivan said the program is well ahead of his expectations, considering he was starting from scratch, with no existing team or recruits, when he came to OSU from Willamette in December 2003.
“We’re excited, confident and positive,” he said. “We don’t look at ‘What if?’ We look at ‘What can we do?’ heading into Year 3.”
2006 OSU CROSS COUNTRY AT A GLANCE
HEAD COACH: Kelly Sullivan, third year at OSU
STAFF: Assistant coach Conor Holt; assistant coach Cynthia Castro; volunteer assistant coach Johanna Olson
2005 RECORD: OSU placed eighth at the Pacific-10 Conference meet and 12th of 30 teams at the NCAA West Regional
REGIONAL RUNNERS BACK: Jr. Kaitlin Poggi (58th at NCAA West Regional); jr. Ashley Francis (75); jr. Nicole Crawford (86); sr. Katie Dye (127); jr. Jean-Marie Peterson (23:18)
OTHER RUNNERS BACK: So. Elise Aschwanden; jr. Noelle Harer; so. Melissa Horton; so. Megan Mangels; so. Jenny O’Conner; jr. Chelsea Pullen; so. Taylor Russell; so. Holly Thompson; so. Katelyn Van Brunt; so. Sylvia Veal; so. Lorene Young
RUNNERS LOST: Ashley Younce (23); Julie Linman (103); Jamie Fuller; Julie Garcia; Tara Stirewalt; Rachael Addison; Marissa Kuenzi; Ashley Larson; Elise Megale; Michelle Wilson
REDSHIRTS: RJr. Neoma Palmer; RSo. Lauren Denfield; RJr. Danya Rumore
INCOMING FRESHMEN: Holly Dieu; Megan Hibner; Krista Stangel; Hayley Oveson
SCHEDULE: Sept. 2, Intrasquad. Sept. 16, at Sundodger Invitational, Seattle. Sept. 30, at Willamette Invitational, Salem. Oct. 14, at Cascade College Invitational, Portland; at Cal Poly Invitational, San Luis Obispo, Calif. Oct. 21, Beaver Invitational, Corvallis. Oct. 28, at Pacific-10 Conference meet, Stanford. Nov. 11, at NCAA West Regional, Portland. Nov. 20, at NCAA Championships, Terre Haute, Ind.
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