Sept. 2, 2003
Leah Zidon Will Look To Lead A young Bulldog Cross Country Squad in 2003
At first glance, the 2003 Truman women's cross country team is very young, with just one senior and one junior among the 11-player roster. However, the team does return many of its top runners from last season and six new freshmen will give the squad some needed depth.
"This is a young team so I don't really know what to expect from them," said head coach John Cochrane, who is starting his 24th year as head women's track and field/cross country coach. "They are an enjoyable group to work with and there is talent there. Overall, we should be better because all of the returners have improved and we will have more depth."
The team's lone senior, Leah Zidon (Bondurant, Iowa), will be the team's leader after an outstanding junior year. Zidon led the team in every race but one and finished 12th in the MIAA championship and 14th in the regional meet. She took home first-place honors at the Miner Invitational, helping the team to also finish first.
Junior Dani Rawlings (Fargo, N.D.) and sophomores Sarah Armstrong (Metamora, Ill.), Pam Bird (Liberty, Mo.) and Abbie Smith (Urbandale, Iowa) are the other returning letterwinners. All four constantly scored for the Bulldogs last year, including Bird who led the team at the MIAA meet and just missed all-conference honors with an 11th-place finish.
The newcomers are Jacquelyn Faust (St. Louis), Amy Graham (Webster Groves, Mo.), Meagan Robertson (Dittmer, Mo.), Francine Schafer (Peoria, Ill.), Alana Walker (Masonville, Colo.) and Lauren White (Lee's Summit, Mo.).
The team will open up the year this Saturday at the Western Illinois Early Bird Invitational. Other events include the Southern Stampede, Miner Invitational and Border States Invitational. The team will host the MIAA championship on Oct. 25 at Kirksville Country Club and the South Central regional will be held two weeks later in Commerce, Texas.