In a season that has seen traditional powers from Oregon, Arkansas, and Providence not qualify for the NCAA Championships, it seems fitting that the climate would be right for an unheralded program to surprise.  No team fills that role better than the women of Vanderbilt.  Buoyed by their second place finish at the Wisconsin Invitational in mid-October, the Commodores have run off an impressive string of performances that has seen them win their first ever SEC Championship and qualify for the NCAA Championships for the first time in school history.  Unpredictable, yes. Cinderella, not quite.  Ranked fifth in the most recent coaches’ poll, Vanderbilt’s performances this season have put them on everyone’s radar heading into Monday. 

            In retrospect, this year’s success was foreshadowed by years of incremental progress under coach Steve Keith.  In 2007, they finished 11^th at their regional meet.  Since then they placed seventh in 2008, fifth in 2009, and last year they improved to third and also had an individual qualifier in Jordan Smith.

            This season they finished second in the South Regional behind top-ranked Florida State.  How have they done it?  Their line-up does not include any superstars that are expected to contend for the individual championship, but it does have impressive depth that makes them dangerous in a meet as unpredictable as the NCAA Championships.  Senior Alexa Rodgers has led the team in three of the four meets this year, but all of their first four are fairly interchangeable.  Smith, Louise Hannallah and Liz Anderson comprise the rest of the first four that has averaged a spread of just over 17 seconds in their last three meets.  Junior Kristin Smith has proven to be a capable fifth runner, but she did not race in the regional meet. 

            Although the team will be making their first trip to Terre Haute, they do have an experienced team and the peace of mind that they already have exceeded expectations.  Come Monday, they will look to finish on the podium and add to their season of firsts.