In most sports, a team faces only one opponent at a time. The teams compete, and the winner is the team that had a better performance on that particular day. Cross-country, however, is not one of those sports.
A team in cross-country can run the same times but see very different results depending on the size of the race. For instance, two teams could face each other in a 10 team field, and one team wins. But if you increase the field to 60 teams, the other team can win.
Teams that pack well together and run close to each other tend to do better in smaller races, such as the conference championship race. This year, the Asbury women’s cross-country team is exactly that type of team.
On October 5, the team ran at the Greater Louisville Classic. In the field of 534 runners, the five scorers placed within 30 runners of each other. The team also saw several members set career-best times.
Senior Charisse Sallade; juniors Vicky Fellers and Sophie Diener; sophomores Joy Marshall, Olivia Hopper and Caitlin Kahmann; and freshmen Elle Hooper and Hannah Hopkins all ran their fastest performances.
While the times are career bests, head coach Randy Crist believes the team will continue to improve.
“We’ve got a fun group this year who want to work hard and improve,” said Crist. “Nobody is content where they are at.”
At the backbone of this “work hard” attitude are the seniors of the team, Sallade, Meg Helton and team captain Khloe Sheeran.
“Right now it’s all about focusing on our racing strategies,” said Sheeran. “The success we’ve had is building confidence and increasing motivation.”
While the team has found overall success this season, the team, like many others, has been bitten by the injury bug.
Helton suffered an early season injury which has kept her from competing. She finished third for the team in the2018 River States Conference Race and is eager for the chance to get back on the course.
“It’s been a challenge for sure,” said Helton. “There have been several setbacks and I am ready to show what I can do for my senior season.”
While Helton waits for her turn to compete, the team has stepped up and found contributors from unexpected places.
While most of the team joined their freshman year, Sallade walked on to the team last year as a junior. After an injury-plagued campaign in year one, Sallade responded this year by placing first for the team in the Louisville Classic.
“It’s really been encouraging to see what I can do,” said Sallade. “The community has been encouraging and I want to see how fast I can get.”
Sallade and the team will look to build on their strong start as the team competes tonight at the Wilmington Invitational.
