Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowgirls set to run at NCAA Championships
November 19, 2005 | Cowgirl Cross Country & Track
It marks the first championships that the Cowgirls have competed in as a team since the 2001 season, when they finished 18th. The top performance that OSU has had in the championships came in 1989, when the team finished fifth.
The Cowgirls are led by All-American candidate, sophomore Mary Davies. Davies finished 48th with a time of 21:19 at last year's meet after she qualified as an individual.
OSU will be challenged, but will use the senior leadership of Valentina Medina, Barbora Kuncova and Michelle Prowse to help place it among the top teams. Along with Davies, Medina and Kuncova could also compete for All-American status.
Sophomore Eva Tomankova, who missed last week with the flu, may be what the Cowgirls need to earn their goal of finishing in the top 15.
“The team goal at the beginning of the year was to finish in the top 15,” Cowgirl head coach Rene Sepulveda said.
Junior Eva Slavikova, who was the 2004 MEAC champion at the University of Maryland- Eastern Shore, will be another runner that the Cowgirls could see contribute in the teams' finish.
OSU will look for strong performances from its young, talented freshmen Nina Andersson and Anissa Angelosante. The freshmen duo, who are coming off all-region performances at last week's regional meet, will look to gain experience to carry on in their running careers.
“Our runners will have to learn quickly because they don't have NCAA experience,” Sepulveda said.
Three other Big 12 schools will join the Pokes, which include the defending national champion, No. 6 Colorado and No. 19 Baylor.
“I told the girls that they have to be confident and run at a conservative pace so that we will pass people,” Sepulveda said. “If they race the way they have up to this point, they could surpass their goal.”
Indiana State will host the event with the gun sounding off at 12:15 p.m.
