Huskies' women look for repeat championship

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. — The 2008 national championship was a dream season for the Washington women's cross-country team, culminating with the program's first national title in dominant fashion.

Today at the site of last year's triumph, LaVern Gibson Championship Course, the Huskies can join the elite company of women's programs to bring home multiple titles. Since 1981, Washington became just the 11th different women's team to win an NCAA cross-country title.

Villanova, the Huskies' top challenger in 2009, had a span of six straight and seven titles from 1989 to 1998. Stanford won four titles from 2003 to 2007.

So coach Greg Metcalf and the Huskies, who return most of their key pieces from the 2008 championship puzzle, have plenty left to prove.

"We can't dwell too much on last year, we have to keep our focus forward and run a great race [Monday]," said Washington's only senior, Katie Follett, who is aiming for a third straight All-American finish. "Bringing back so much of the same team I think does help us to carry the momentum we had last year. But it is a different year, and it will be a different race obviously. We're all just not trying to get too caught up in expectations and pressures."

Metcalf and the top-ranked Huskies have had more adversity to deal with this season. Junior Lauren Saylor, 41st in last season's finale, is out with mononucleosis, and last year's No. 3 runner at the championships, Mel Lawrence, returned just three weeks ago after an Achilles injury.

But his team's depth is as good as any, Metcalf said, meaning a repeat of five All-American runners is not out of the question. Metcalf mentioned the work for maintaining that depth in cross country began with a quality spring on the track. Follett and Lawrence ran the program's third- and fourth-best times in the 5,000 meters.

With junior Kailey Campbell moving up to a No. 5 role this season and Kendra Schaaf and Christine Babcock one of the top 1-2 duos in the nation, this year's Huskies look about as strong as the 2008 version.

"I really believe that cross country's great teams are made in the spring time," Metcalf said. "Our depth is good, but we have lots of teams who have great depth as well."

The Washington men's team, ranked 15th, will be vying for its third top-20 finish in the past four years.