Led by strong Class of 2004, w. cross country shows improvement

Notice a change?

This year the Princeton women's cross country team took a giant step closer to its long term goal of winning the Heps crown. Though it placed fourth overall at Heps this year, behind Columbia, Yale, and Cornell, the effort marks the highest finish for the squad in recent memory. In general, the Tigers are pleased as punch about the gains they have made over the course of the season.

The Tiger seniors notice the contrast especially, having been around for several lean years before last year's team began Princeton's climb out of the Ivy League's basement and towards title contention.

"This year, especially compared to [my] freshman and sophomore years, there's been a huge improvement," seasoned veteran and senior Sarah Rivlin said. "The competition's gotten a lot better too, but we could have easily contended at Heps a few years ago with this team."

And while they did meet some of their goals this year, the Tigers have a lot to look forward to for next year's cross country season. Though they lose several seniors, including Rivlin and co-captain Becca Hylander, they can look forward to another year with an incredibly talented Class of 2004. In addition, the freshmen that spent this season learning and adjusting to the collegete running system will likely be ready to make more substantial contributions to the team. And, of course, there will be a new batch of freshmen ready to begin the process anew.

The current junior class, however, is the centerpiece of the Tiger cross team, and represents one of the strongest recruiting classes yet for Princeton. Led by Emily Kroshus, who has placed first on the team in every race she has entered for the last two years, the class contains at least five very strong potential point-scorers for next year's team. Laura Petrillo, Christina Roberto, Kristel Adler, and Becca Syder all can be expected to help Kroshus and push the Tigers into Heps contention.

"You have a lot of talent there," Rivlin said. "[The juniors] have had some bad luck in the past, but they should do much better next year. I won't be surprised at all if we win Heps next year. I think '04 is really going to be a great senior class."

In addition to the strength and depth of the Tiger roster, Princeton will receive additional help in the form of weakened Ivy competition. Columbia, which placed five runners in the top ten at this year's Heps en route to taking the crown, will lose a pair of its top runners to graduation.

Yale, which finished second, will similarly say goodbye to its two best runners, Kate and Laura O'Neil, who placed first and second at last week's meet. Barring incredible recruiting classes for any of the other Heptagonal teams, Princeton should return from summer next year with excellent hopes to battle with Columbia for next year's championship.

Such a dramatic change from teams of years past stems in part from a change in the competitive culture on the Princeton team.

"In the past, we weren't focusing on why we were training," Rivlin said. "We were usually either fooling around or competing against each other. Now there's been an improvement in that focus, and on recovery during rest days instead of tiring ourselves out again."

A newly realized mindset, a new freshman class, and a new chance to win the elusive Heptagonal Championships. With such sunny prospects, who wouldn't be optimistic?