2010 Ladyjack Cross Country Preview
9/2/2010 12:00:00 AM | Cross Country
Sept. 2, 2010
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The Stephen F. Austin Ladyjack cross country team felt like it should have won the 2009 Southland Conference championship. Instead, the Ladyjacks had to settle for second place. With six of the top seven runners from that squad back for the 2010 season, the goal is still the same, and, if anything, the team is even more intent on achieving it.
"Overall, it's a motivated, focused group that wants to do big things and really wants to help this program take the next step," SFA cross country coach Lou Snelling said. "That's exciting to work with those kinds of people on a daily basis. That's what we love to have here. It makes it fun because we all want to do the same thing, and we're all working together to get it done. We're going to get there."
`There' is the podium at this year's Southland Conference Championships in Beaumont, Texas, hosted by Lamar. None of the current Ladyjacks have ever run the Beaumont course before. But the group includes four seniors and a junior who have piled up experience on courses all over the region. And race-day experience isn't always the most important kind anyway.
"Having all that experience is nice," Snelling said. "From the standpoint of meet experience for sure, but also in terms of the day-to-day stuff - making sure the team environment is positive and taking care of business every day."
Snelling's seniors have been taking care of business the last four years. The group includes fifth-year athletes Amy Shackelford and Megan Jenkins, along with Meredith Blocker and Marie Flores.
Shackelford is the most decorated athlete in the senior class. She's won two individual Southland titles and is a five-time all-conference selection, including her sixth-place performance at last year's Southland meet. Shackelford has been slowed slightly this summer by an asthma condition, but Snelling expects another strong contribution from his senior leader.
"Amy wants to have the consistency in the training that she's had in the past," he said. "Once she gets that consistency, the races really start to happen for her. Once we get a handle on some of these asthma issues, she'll be able to be more consistent. She's proven in the past that when it all comes together for her she can put up some great results."
Jenkins has shown steady improvement over her four years with the program. Last season, she was the second Ladyjack to finish at conference, crossing the line in ninth place to earn her first All-Southland honor in cross country. She went on to score points in three events during the indoor and outdoor league championships last spring.
"Megan really stepped up big last year at conference," Snelling said. "She's one who has just gotten gradually better every year. She'll have the opportunity to be all-conference again in cross country. She's definitely one of our big leaders on the team."
Blocker and Flores, the fourth-year seniors, have been in and out of the team's top five over the last three seasons, but were consistently among the scoring runners a year ago. They each have all-conference honors to their credit on the track.
"Meredith and Marie have both had success at different points in their careers," Snelling said. "We always look for our seniors to step up and have their best year at the end of their careers. Those two have the potential to do that for sure."
The lone junior on the squad, Stephanie Ganter, might be the most talented runner on the team. The McKinney, Texas, native has eight All-Southland honors in her first two years on campus and is a former Southland individual champion on the indoor track. Ganter has been a presence for the Ladyjacks since her rookie campaign, when she became the first athlete in Southland Conference history to win the league's Freshman of the Year award in cross country, indoor track and outdoor track.
"Stephanie's a multiple all-conference honoree and indoor conference champion," Snelling said. "That kind of talent is always good to have. She's going to have to ease into the training this year because of some injury issues from the summer. The plan is for her to be ready for conference and regionals."
Sophomore Randi Wymer is the lone underclassman returning from last year's unit. She was the fourth Ladyjack to cross the line at conference last season, finishing 25th overall. Last spring, she earned an all-conference nod with her second-place showing in the steeplechase.
"Randi stepped up big for us last year at conference and regionals," Snelling said. "She filled in a critical spot for us at conference that allowed us to be as successful as we were. She finished off the year with an all-conference performance in the steeple, which was huge. She's one who just steps up when it matters. She's a gamer."
One of the key newcomers in 2010 is sophomore transfer Lauren Smith. As a prepster at Brazoswood High School, she medaled three times at the state cross country championships, winning the Class 5A title in 2007. As a freshman at Arizona last year, she was the No. 2 runner on a nationally ranked Wildcats team.
"She'll be an immediate impact," Snelling said of Smith. "She had a very successful cross country season last year at Arizona, and a very successful high school career. It's tough to be a 5A champ in cross country. We're definitely looking to her to have a great impact on what we're doing."
All three of SFA's freshman signees have strong pedigrees. Becca Blubaugh was a distance triple-crown winner at the Class 5A level in Louisiana last year. She took home state titles in cross country, the 3,200 meters and 1,600 meters after medaling in all three events at the state level as a junior. LaGrange native Laurie Byrd finished her high school career by winning five state titles over her final three years, including the 2009 state cross country championship. Amanda Walters comes to SFA after earning all-region honors for East Bernard High and finishing sixth at the state cross country meet last season.
"We have three true freshmen," Snelling said. "Long-term I know they're going to have some great success. We'll have to see how they handle all the new stuff that's thrown at them before we know what kind of immediate impact they can have."
-- SFA --
