ACU trying to take next step
8/22/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Cross Country, Cross Country
ACU looking to take next step
Defending LSC champs hope to reach national meet
After a three-year absence from the winner's circle, the ACU women surprised almost everyone by winning the Lone Star Conference championship last year and finishing a strong fifth at the NCAA Division II South Central region meet.
The next step this year is to compete for the regional championship and earn a spot in the national meet.
It's not an unrealistic goal for a team that two years ago finished fourth in the LSC, especially not for a team that returns its top three runners from last year, including sophomore Cassie Chaffin, who earned a berth in the national meet last year by finishing fifth at the regional meet.
Other returners besides Chaffin include seniors Angie Waters, Justine Nahimana and Amie Lindley, as well as junior Jodie Pelletier.
Waters is a two-time all-America in outdoor track and field, while Nahimana finished 10th at the national cross country meet two years ago to earn all-America honors.
ACU head coach Jon Murray has a talented group of newcomers to add to the team, including freshman Abbie Waters, and their development will be a key to the season.
"The key to last year's team was how Cassie and Angie stepped up to lead us throughout the season," Murray said. "We have both of them back this year - as well as a few others - and they've tasted success.
"If we can get one or two of those newcomers to step up, we'll have a chance to get to the national meet."
ACU hasn't had a full team at the national meet since 1997 when it finished 16th.
"There are several factors that could play into us getting back to where we want to be, but the top three are development, time and health," Murray said. "All of the newcomers will be pretty even coming in, and it's going to be fun to see which one or two of them move into our top five.
"We're hoping to get back to the national level," he said. "It's been several years since we've been there, and we need to get back."
ACU opens its season Sept. 13 at the ACU Classic in Abilene, and will also run in meets at Oklahoma State, Texas A&M and Missouri Southern before the Lone Star Conference, regional and national meets.
The conference meet will be Oct. 26 in Ada, Okla., followed by the regional meet on Nov. 9 in Warrensburg, Mo., and the national meet on Nov. 23 in Ashland, Ohio.
