On Saturday morning, the athletes on the Penn State Cross Country team will step to the line at the NCAA Atlantic Regional Championships with heavy hearts and profound pride in our team. This week has been a tough one for Penn State. Now, more than ever, we need to come together and fight for what we want and what we believe in. We want to represent our school at the National Championships. While qualifying is a possibility, we will put everything on the line to make a statement that we have become a top ten NCAA program.
Big Tens was a blur for me. I still can't believe I walked away the champ. But as exciting as it was, I've moved on. There are bigger and better things to accomplish this season. Since the Big Ten Championships, we have focused on recovery and getting pumped for this weekend. We had several light training days after we arrived back in Happy Valley but then got right back into the swing of things. We haven't let coming up a tiny bit short at Big Tens distract us from our other goals.
This weekend is going to be a challenge. Villanova, Georgetown and West Virginia are going to be formidable. The stiff competition will push us harder than we've been pushed so far this season. I hope we step up to the challenge and surprise people. As well as we have done this season; we are without a doubt the underdog. I love the position we are in as we get ready for Saturday's competition. We left Big Tens "pleased" but with a little chip on our shoulders. We wanted to win. The chances of us winning this weekend, I'll just come out and say it, are slim. We compete in one of, if not the toughest region in the country, and winning isn't the goal. But being close is. Coach Sullivan sat us down and we reevaluated our goals. The Penn State women's team has never gone to the Regional Championships trying to get an auto-bid. That is exactly what we are going to try to do this weekend. Why not? We have nothing to lose. If we go for it, it only makes our chances better.
Being top two in the Regional is a lofty goal. One that I know I am willing to try to achieve. I believe the other girls on my team are up to the challenge as well. This season has gone by so quickly, I've almost forgotten to take everything in. Realizing that, in the blink of an eye, it's my senior year, my last cross-country season with these girls. It is crazy to think about. There are moments from this season I will never forget. I am extremely excited to see what the next few weeks hold for us. The first step will be in Princess Anne, Maryland on Saturday. I'm excited for the opportunity to help take our program to the next level.
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