WALLA WALLA, Wash. -- Losing five strong seniors to graduation might leave some championship cross country teams gasping for air and struggling to keep pace.
Carol Feezell, the cross country coach at Whitman College, isn't expecting that fate to befall her women's squad, which rolled to a Northwest Conference title last season but then graduated a handful of key contributors last spring.
"I really feel our women's team is as strong as it was last year," Feezell says. "We have a legitimate shot at winning another conference title and then qualifying for nationals. That's my optimistic viewpoint, even though it's always difficult to make predictions this early in the season."
The Whitman men's team, which placed seventh in last year's conference meet, returns its top runner in senior Lars Tysver and should be stronger this fall, Feezell adds.
The Missionary teams open their fall season on Friday, Sept. 8, at the University of Idaho Invitational. They host the annual Whitman Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 16, as well as the NWC championships on Saturday, Oct. 28. This year's NCAA Div. III national championships will be hosted by Spokane's Whitworth College on Nov. 18.
Heather Koertje, a senior, is back for her final season after leading the Missionary women with a fourth-place individual finish in last year's NWC championships. Sophomore Karin Pfeiffer-Hoyt, who placed sixth in the conference meet, is sidelined for at least a month with leg problems. "Karin is battling shin splints and recovering from a stress fracture," Feezell says.
For now, seniors Jennie Wood, Liz Briggs, Heather Barr and freshman Jeanne Knechtges, join Koertje in rounding out Feezell's top five. After three seasons of varsity soccer, Wood has turned her attention to cross country and is competing for the team's No. 1 spot. Briggs and Barr also show good potential, although both have just one year of cross country experience. "All five of these women are strong and healthy to start the season," Feezell says.
Also returning after solid seasons a year ago are junior Piper Foster and sophomore Mary Jo Southwick. Alison Gillespie, a senior with sophomore athletic eligibility, will join the team late after spending the summer abroad. Adding more depth are junior Amanda Compton and senior Adriane Myers, who is running her first season of cross country. Stacy St. John, a sophomore, will miss the season with a stress fracture.
Feezell also sees good potential in a group of first-year runners that includes Libby Winters, Meghan Green, Florinda Larkin, Elizabeth DeLong, Amy Benton, Whitney Blackman and Amy Rice Jones.
On the men's side, Feezell says, "Lars has more competition from his teammates this year. One of the freshmen, Braden Burkholder, is really pushing to be No. 1 on the men's team. Ryan Gold has returned in great shape, and Jerome Schwartz is way ahead of where he was at this time last year." Both Gold and Schwartz are sophomores.
"Joel Byersdorfer, a junior, looks stronger this season, and another one of the freshmen, Kirk Blais, has been a big surprise," Feezell says. "Kirk works extremely hard and shows great potential."
Andrew Moore, a sophomore, is "looking great, although he has very painful shins right now," Feezell says. "I'm treating him as if he's injured. He could push for the No. 1 spot if he just stays healthy."
Others on the men's roster are freshman Charlie Gardner, sophomores Dan Cadol, Dan Overgaag and Pat Meath, and senior Joey Bristol, who is running cross country for the first time.