2017 FloXC Countdown

2017 FloXC Countdown: #8 UW-La Crosse Women

2017 FloXC Countdown: #8 UW-La Crosse Women

2017 FloXC Countdown: #8 UW-La Crosse Women

Sep 7, 2017 by Dennis Young
2017 FloXC Countdown: #8 UW-La Crosse Women
Follow our 2017 FloXC Countdown, where FloTrack ranks the top ten cross country teams and individuals in the NCAA this season which will be LIVE on FloTrack. The No. 8 women's spot goes to UW-La Crosse, and here's why:

Probable Top Four:

SR Sadie Kroll (17:41 5K; 74th at '16 NCAA XC)
SR Kaitlyn McDaniel (17:22 5K; 35:31 10K; 131st at '16 NCAA XC; 33rd at '15 NCAA XC)
SO Sarah Ziolkowski (18:16 5K; 120th at '16 NCAA XC)
SR Rebecca Voss (18:02 5K; 153rd at '16 NCAA XC; 124th at '15 NCAA XC)

Fifth Woman Battle:

JR Annie Brekken (18:22 5K; 37:42 10K; 220th at '16 NCAA XC)
JR Ellie Miller (18:15 5K; 37:51 10K)
JR Hannah Beilke (18:29 5K; 189th at '15 NCAA XC)
FR Rachel Jeffers (5:24 1600; 18:41 5K XC)

Impact Freshmen/Transfers:

Rachel Jeffers via Sussex, WI (5:24 1600; 18:41 5K XC)
Madeline Sweeney via Green Bay, WI (5:15 1600, 19:04 5K XC)

Analysis:

In the five years since Derek Stanley took over as women's cross country coach at La Crosse, the program has steadily improved at nationals. They were 25th in 2012, 19th in 2013, 13th in 2014, 12th in 2015, and sixth a year ago.

"And it wasn't even a good race for us," says Stanley, who blames himself for the lack of a trophy last year. "I centered on VO2 max [training] for too long, from early September to the end of the year, and they were pretty much tapped out by nationals. I would think we're a trophy team this year."

While the Eagles only have one top-100 finisher returning from last year's meet -- senior Sadie Kroll -- they also have Kaitlyn McDaniel, who was 33rd two years ago. Going 21-74-120-131-153 was good enough for their sixth-place finish last year. If Kroll and McDaniel are in the top 50, and Sarah Ziolkowski (120th last year) and Rebecca Voss (153rd last year) are in the top 120, then they're already imrpoved through four runners and just need a fifth.

Stanley is counting on another advantage in addition to fixing the training: the somewhat brutal course. If you've ever been to a national meet at UW-La Crosse, you know that there are massive hills leading up to a bluff. The team runs on them frequently. Stanley's take is that "it's not a track meet this year . . .The women's course has an 80-foot climb right before 5K, and it could be the walking dead there if they don't manage it right."

He adds, "The better teams could be in trouble in the course, and we live in the hills here. We shouldn't be scared of this stuff."

FULL WOMEN'S RANKINGS HERE