Ley Reflects On WCC Championship Competitors
11/1/2013 12:00:00 AM | Cross Country
The preseason West Coast Conference polls picked the Gonzaga cross country women to place fifth overall. Currently we are unranked in the West Region heading in to the Conference Championship. Despite the greatest depth in team history, we are facing the improvement of many of the teams we have beaten over the last two years.
We have awoken the sleeping giants at schools within our region who have been blessed with greater resources and are now performing to those resources, and the level of competition has grown exponentially. University of San Francisco has been consistently ranked in the top 20 in the NCAA National poll and is within an eyelash of the University of Oregon in the region.
Here a coach Patty Ley's preview of the Zags who willcompete Saturday at Pepperdine University.
Lauren Bergam - East Valley, Spokane WA
A graduate student (MBA) making her fourth appearance at a West Coast Conference Championship, Lauren has made great improvements each year at conference and is looking to do the same this year. A second team All-Conference selection last year, she has been working hard to prepare for the challenge of moving up to a possible first team berth in what has become an excellent cross country conference.
Taylor Cherry - Gonzaga Prep, Spokane WA
A Sophomore in her first trip to the WCC Championship, Taylor has made amazing strides this last year. As a "bubble" athlete last year, she indicated there were good things to come. After an excellent track season (10k 38:11, 5k 18:15) She has continued to improve each week and is ready physically and mentally for another big break through. Is excited to mix it up this weekend!
Katy Culver - South Anchorage, Anchorage AK
A sophomore transfer who began her college career at Lafayette College in Pennsylvania, she has been an invaluable asset to our tight pack this fall. 1500 speed with 6000 endurance makes for an awesome combination that bodes well for this weekend and well into the future.
Shelly Davis - Kamiak, Mukilteo, WA
A redshirt junior who will graduate with her degree in the spring in Sport Management and Psychology, Shelly has really blossomed in the last few months. It feels as if each workout has brought an increase in confidence and an opening of new doors. It was in one such workout just 6 weeks ago that she realized she was capable of running with our best, and has moved decisively into a position to be a scorer. Certainly a key to the tiny gap we had at Lewiston (six seconds from 1-6)
Amelia Evans - Air Academy, Colorado Springs CO
Another sophomore (and there are a couple more just off this list), Amelia is making her second appearance at the WCC Championships. Her experience last year and her understanding of race dynamics will be a huge asset as we prepare this week. Her steady demeanor - but "hungry" racing style set the tone for just the balance needed to perform at our best. Struggled a bit at the beginning of the season with low iron issues, but is rapidly improving and could be a bit of a surprise over these next two meets.
Alison Fraher - Prescott, Prescott AZ
Alison is the Zag athlete who both hearkens back to the past of Gonzaga Cross Country and also looks forward to the future. Like so many in our past, Alison had very modest credentials coming out of high school (5:54/12:16/20:40). But also like so many in the past, she has embraced the chance to fulfill her own potential and be at her best. She has been blessed to be a part of a deep team that has pushed and pulled her to be a first time competitor at WCCs as a junior. Alison exploded as our number two runner at Lewiston and looks to make another big jump this weekend.
Maggie Jones - Richland, Richland WA
Looking to her third Championship appearance and after a track season that saw Maggie become our second fastest 5000 runner ever (16:40) and see her move to another level competitively - she has unfortunately struggled with low iron as well, beginning to respond now, but just more slowly than we had hoped despite managing the situation well. Coming around at the right time - she could be a surprise to many this week. Looking to see all the very hard work she has put in - pay off for her!
Lara Tuthill - Bishop Kelly, Boise ID
Making her third appearance at WCCs as a redshirt junior , we are looking to another step forward in her racing this year. Began the season cross training while dealing with an IT band issue, she worked very hard and maintained a solid aerobic base and is quickly rounding in to racing form. Each race has gotten just a bit better and looking for that big breakthrough this weekend. Will be able to glean confidence from the 16:48 5k of last spring that has elevated her to a new level of racing.
Zoë Urcadez - Salpointe Catholic, Tucson AZ
Zoë is a sophomore making her first WCC appearance - Yep, you've read that a few times! Her diminutive build belies the huge heart and desire lying within. Coming off a short stint cross training due to a foot issue, she spent her time watching race video and observing winners and has done her homework. Very excited to see what happens next for her!! She is a present and future star.
Addi Johnson (Peninsula, Gig Harbor WA - Sophomore)
Krista Beyer (Seattle Prep, Seattle WA - Senior)
Both these young ladies have been in our top nine at some point this season, and are just barely off the edge now. Should we have to call on either of them this weekend, I have full confidence that we would see no drop off in team performance.
Together
So you will see what I wrote last year following this, and so much of it remains true that I left that for this week as well! This group has run with unprecedented gaps from 1-7 (typically under 40 seconds) and in our last meet (1-10 - without three of these ladies was 45 seconds). Depth-Depth-Depth has made selecting a team difficult but reassuring knowing we are putting great representatives on the course! Obviously, we are very young - we have a nice mix of WCC experience and "newbies" but this is a group that needs to make the future now - and the future even better (with a potential seven returners next year)Exactly the word to describe this team - TOGETHER. From one to thirty-five there has been an unprecedented commitment to expect more, to work harder and to be the one who makes the difference. We have seen deeper times on tougher courses. We have seen it happen despite injuries and illness that have kept key athletes in the training room, and there is an excitement that filters through every workout as they find out they are more than they ever believed. They will be together Saturday as nine wear the Gonzaga jersey but as 26 others will and pray and cheer them on. Those nine will race seconds apart feeling the power of each other; they will finish seconds apart sharing the pain of effort and the joy of knowing there was nothing left on the course.
Please join us, so we can do this together. Be at the meet and say a prayer (9:00 PST for the men and 10:00 PST for the women).
Thanks!
