Oklahoma State University Athletics
In the Spotlight: Cowgirl Cross Country
September 15, 2010 | Cowgirl Cross Country & Track
Sept. 15, 2010
By Sean Maguire
OSU Media Relations
With Mihaela Susa back for her senior season after earning a trip to the NCAA national meet a year ago and a group of younger athletes ready to contribute, the Oklahoma State women's cross country team is setting its sights higher than they've been in recent memory.
Susa, a native of Cluj-Napoca, Romania, was the undisputed No. 1 Cowgirl runner a year ago. She was the first OSU finisher in every event she competed in and clocked the best times on the squad in both the 5,000 and 6,000 meters.
With a good performance this year, Susa could solidify her spot as one of the best runners in the history of the Cowgirl cross country program, as her name is already in the track and field record book for the fastest indoor mile and outdoor 1,500 meters in school history.
A big reason Susa saw so much success last year was her head coach, Dave Smith, who now enters his second year at the helm of the women's program as the Director of Track and Field and Cross Country.
Smith has been a fixture around the OSU athletic program for years, coaching the men's team since 2006 and guiding them to a national championship in 2009.
Another reason to look for the Cowgirls to run well this year is that Susa is joined by seniors Tone Hjalmarsen and Teran Mixon to help lead the squad.
Hjalmarsen ran only one meet last year but still showcased her talent as she was the fourth Cowgirl runner to cross the line at the Big 12 Championships. Mixon should also contribute, as she ran the fifth-fastest 5,000-meter time on the squad a year ago.
In addition to the senior leaders, several younger Cowgirls will be counted on to continue the early success they saw in 2009.
Victoria Fratczak, Alyse Goldsmith, Jacqueline Campos, Melanie Funke and Laura Heaton all contributed last season, even at the conference and regional championships where several placed among the top finishers.
Look for Fratczak, a junior from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada, to maintain her role as one of the fastest Cowgirls on the squad.
Fratczak ran the best two-mile time on the team in 2009, and, had it not been for Susa, would have run the best 5,000- and 6,000-meter times as well.
There are reasons other than fast times and promising returners, however, to believe the Cowgirls can have a breakout season.
If the Cowgirls' performance in the classroom is any indication of how hard they train, there's no reason to believe they can't accomplish whatever they set out to do.
In 2009, the Oklahoma State women's cross country team landed six athletes on academic honor lists, including Mixon and Heaton on the Academic All-Big 12 First Team and Hjalmarsen and Fratczak on the second team.
That statistic is no surprise to people around the OSU athletic program. Coach Smith has always focused on academics, which must be maintained at an extremely high level to run for Oklahoma State.
With all the hard work the Cowgirls put in both on and off the field, their fan support is a critical aspect of the program that helps keeps the team motivated and focused.
Oklahoma State fans will have two chances to see the squad in action at home in Stillwater this year, including the historic Cowboy Jamboree Sept. 25 and the 2010 Big 12 Championships Oct. 30. Both events will be held at the OSU Cross Country Course on the north side of the Oklahoma State campus.
If fans need any extra motivation to cheer on this year's women's cross country team, just think of what it could accomplish with Smith running the show, Susa leading the way and several young athletes ready to run. If the pieces fall into place, there's no telling what this Cowgirl cross country squad could accomplish in 2010.
