2009 Season Preview
With her top five runners returning for action in 2009, Taylor women's cross country head coach Cindy Callison has reason to be optimistic about her harriers.
Leading the pack will be NAIA National Qualifier Alyssa Johnson who placed 61st at the 2008 NAIA Cross Country Championships and followed that up with a fifth place in the 1500 meters at the 2009 NAIA Outdoor Track Championships this spring.
Right on her heels, and a strong reason for Callison's optimism, are fellow seniors Tabitha Bogue and Hilary Pederson. Bogue and Pederson both ran in the low 19:00-minute range and could give the Lady Trojans three runners at the front of any pack.
Junior Janet Reno and sophomore Ashley Henry round out TU's top five from 2008. The duo will be relied upon to provide the team with a strong 4-5 finish, something the Lady Trojans have struggled with in the past few years.
A group of four sophomores must step up to give the team the depth needed to pursue an NAIA Nationals berth. Kirstin Hegelein, Kacey Swofford, Armilla Francis, and Amy Malinowski each had solid races last season, but consistency and competitiveness are areas of improvement the quartet must focus on.
Six newcomers will dot the roster for the 2009 season. Sophomore transfer Meredith Piancentini and freshman Kelsey Van Housen should be competing for a top seven spot. Other freshmen include Micah York, Megan Franz, Ruth Ongley, and Emily Perschbacher.
The Lady Trojans have the potential to develop into a team that could average in the mid-19 minute range, a level that could put them into position to qualify for a spot at the NAIA National meet in November.