Complete OAC Coaches Poll (.pdf)
BEREA, OHIO -- The 2012 Baldwin Wallace University women's cross country team is picked to place fifth athis season by the Ohio Athletic Conference Coaches.
The Yellow Jacket women return seven letter winners from last season's team that had a 99-30 overall record, placed fourth at the OAC Championship Meet and 17th of 36 schools at the NCAA Division III Great Lakes Regional Tournament.
The women will be led by returning letter winners in seniors Lynne Fahy (Ontario, N.Y./ Wayne Central), Tess Hoogeveen (Westerville/ South), Shaina Kovatch (Parma/ Valley Forge) and Lauren McGaughey (Allison Park, Pa./ Hampton), juniors Brooke Hradisky (Aurora), Lauren Hutka (North Ridgeville/ Grafton Midview) and Blair Vrcan (Mentor). Kovatch (15th), McGaughey (21st), Hoogeveen (26th) and Hradisky (31st) all placed in the top-31 at the OAC Championship Meet a year ago (out of 157 total runners). By virtue of her 15th place finish, Kovatch returns as an All-OAC competitor.
In addition to the seven letter winners, sophomore Dusica Vasic (Broadview Heights/Brecksville-Six newcomers join the program and they are Jennifer Dudley (Berea), Kali Fittro (Tiffin/ Columbian), Lauren Fredriksen (Hamburg, N.Y.), Taylor Jurczynski (Parma/ Normandy), Alyssa Nieset (Geneva) and Molly Rehor (Fairview Park/ Fairview).
"We return a solid group of veteran runners who have the talent and experience to make us a better team," said veteran Head Coach Dr. Bill Taraschke, who has led 49 Yellow Jacket teams to OAC titles in his 29 years at the University. "If each veteran improves from last year and our first-year competitors run to their ability, we will be better. The key to our season is having the dedication and commitment to coming to each practice and each meet with the thought of improvement."
The Yellow Jacket women open the season this Friday, August 31 when they run at the annual The College of Wooster Invitational Meet on the LC Boles Golf Course on the Wooster campus. The meet consists of four races. The women each run a 4K and a separate 5K race.
FOR MORE BW SPORTS INFORMATION, please contact Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at 440-826-2327 and e-mail at kruple@bw.edu or Assistant SID Jeff Miller by phone at 440-826-2780 and e-mail at jefmille@bw.edu. Fans can access the latest BW athletics information at www.BWyellowjackets.com and we invite you to join us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/bwathletics.
