Preview video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?
2015 Heart Finish:10th out of 14
Letterwinners returning/lost: 4/3
Notable returners:
Guadalupe Gonzalez Jr. Houston, Texas
(Letterwinner, season-best 5K 19:52)
Deja Lewis Sr. Spring, Texas
(Letterwinner, season-best 5K 20:44)
Alexys Devlin Sr. Davenport, Iowa
(Letterwinner, season-best 5K 22:15)
Arianna Davis Jr. New Sharon, Iowa
(Letterwinner, season-best 5K 24:31)
Notable losses:
Addison Kepner
(Two-time letterwinner)
Notable newcomers:
Charlotte Hackett So. Las Vegas, Nev.
Bree’Anna Lee Fr. Broken Arrow, Okla.
Rachel Surbaugh Fr. Knoxville, Iowa
A solid crew of returners should bolster the women’s cross country program as William Penn enters the 2016 campaign.
The Statesmen claimed 10th place at last year’s Heart of America Athletic Conference Championships and Coach Sean Gosewisch expects that a handful of experienced bodies will make a move up the ladder quite possible.
Guadalupe Gonzalez (Jr., Houston, Texas, Exercise Science) proved with her top 5K time of 19:52 (ranks fifth all-time) that she is capable of running with the lead group at any event. She will be joined by three-time letterwinner Deja Lewis (Sr., Spring, Texas, Psychology) at the front of WPU’s pack. Lewis’ top time from last year was 20:44.
Alexys Devlin (Jr., Davenport, Iowa, Physical Education), with a top finish of 22:15, and Arianna Davis (Jr., New Sharon, Iowa, Biology), with a top finish of 24:31, round out the quartet of returners.
Charlotte Hackett (So., Las Vegas, Nev., Psychology) has been on campus since last winter and has trained well, so Gosewisch feels that she will also be a significant factor in the navy and gold lineup. Bree’Anna Lee (Fr., Broken Arrow, Okla., Biology) and Rachel Surbaugh (Fr., Knoxville, Iowa, Biology) look to have strong starts to their collegiate careers as well.
Schedule/Conference
The 2016 schedule is identical to 2015 with the Augustana Twilight again serving as the opener on September 2. The Heart Championships will be hosted by Mount Mercy, therefore basically making the NAIA Seminole Valley Stampede on October 22 a preview meet. Benedictine and Mount Mercy are favored to be at the top of the standings in November.
