After coming off a 10th-place finish at the Big Ten meet, the women’s cross-country team will compete at the NCAA Midwest Regional Championships in Lawrence, Kansas, today.
The Jayhawks will host the event at Rim Rock Farm. The women’s race is slated to begin at noon.
The Hawkeyes will need to either finish as a top-two team or in the top four individually in order to compete at the NCAA meet on Nov. 21 in Louisville, Kentucky. If they fall short of those qualifications, they will have an opportunity to be selected through an at-large selection process following the regional race.
Thirty-three teams will be competing from 12 conferences, including three nationally ranked teams, Oklahoma State (13), Iowa State (16), and Minnesota (21). The Iowa women are ranked 13th in the latest Midwest Regional poll released Nov. 2.
Head coach Layne Anderson believes the competition will be difficult, and knowing that this is a NCAA event, the Hawkeyes trust they are prepared for the tough test.
“We are looking for a total team effort, and we are prepared to race well,” Anderson said. “This will be a very competitive meet for our group.”
The Hawkeyes come into today’s race with a lack of championship experience. Freshman Andrea Shine, sophomores Madison Waymire and Kelly Breen, and junior Alana Jones are competing on the regional championship stage for the first time.
With only three returning regional point scorers from last year, the Hawks are relying on sophomore Marta Bote Gonzalez and juniors Carolyn Newhouse and Tess Wilberding to provide the leadership.
Even with the lack of experience the Hawkeyes still believe they can accomplish their goals. One way they can achieve that is by executing the team’s recurring strategy of pack running.
“We are always looking to perfect our pack running and perfecting each of our own race plans,” Waymire said.
Shine agreed with Waymire recognizing that pack running is the game-plan that Anderson has stressed in practice throughout the season.
“As a team we all want to run strongly in a pack, and be more consistent with how we were racing a few weeks ago,” she said. “Our goal is to get into a good rhythm at the start and hold a tight pack of girls.”
Running in a pack bodes well for getting back the confidence and consistency the team had a few weeks ago. And when it comes to confidence and consistency, Waymire has been one runner the team counts on race-to-race.
She has led the team in all five races this season. If she finishes as the top Hawkeye runner in the regional race, she’ll become the first Hawkeye to lead the team in six-straight races since Sarah Arens in 2000.
Waymire isn’t focused on making history. She is determined to make a name for herself, with a goal of making the Regional-Team.
“On Friday, I would like to place as high as I can,” Waymire said. “I would like to make the Regional-Team.”
