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SDSU's women runners return from '04 healthy, improved
Chris Solari
csolari@argusleader.com
Published: 09/22/05
BROOKINGS - Becka Mansheim looked beside her. The name on the jersey at last year's Roy Griak Invitational was a familiar one to the South Dakota State cross country runner, albeit not on the same starting line next to her.
Before she knew it, Mansheim was bursting past the girl from Arizona State.
"It was a little nerve-wracking," said Mansheim, a junior from Brookings. "When you're out there, and you start passing one of them, you're like, 'Wow, I can do this.' That's motivation in itself."
A year removed from a season in which injuries ravaged what was once a squad that was a perennial Division II title contender, the SDSU women's team joins its male brethren again Saturday at the Griak meet in Minneapolis with a whole different look.
SDSU's women finished last a year ago with an average time of 24:18, which was 23 seconds slower than 28th-place Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Mansheim finished 57th with a time of 22:33.6 in 2004 Griak, the only Jackrabbit in the top 100. Shannon Hattervig was next at 142nd 23:47.9.
This time, with a year to learn the rigors of the Division I level, the Jackrabbits don't feel star-struck headed into the 6,000-meter race that features more than 250 runners from around the country.
"It was really overwhelming to be on the line next to huge D-I schools and to be in a race with that number of people," said Hattervig, a sophomore from Rapid City. "But it was a good experience - especially now going into it - to know what to expect and to have more of a feel for it."
The Jacks were without top returners Krystie Ratzlaff, a former All-NCC runner, and Katie Tornberg for all of last season. And with the transfer of Kaylee Keating to the University of South Dakota, plus returning runners unsure of the move to Division I, Coach Rod DeHaven faced immediate challenges in his first year.
SDSU eventually finished fifth out of seven teams at the Division I Independent Championships. Mansheim finished sixth individually, but the other competing teams were curious what happened to a squad that had often owned them at the D-II level.
"We took our lumps," DeHaven said. "A lot of people probably wondered what was going on up here in Brookings."
So far this season, Hattervig has epitomized the improvement of the rapidly improving young squad that only has one senior. A walk-on a year ago, the former Rapid City Stevens runner won the 5,000-meter Dragon Invitational at Minnesota State-Moorhead title in 19:36.28.
"For myself, I had to mature pretty fast (last year) because you had to step up to that next level and really try to help your team out and not fall back and be a freshman," Hattervig said.
Tornberg returned at the Dragon Invitational and finished third, while Mansheim was fifth and senior Megan Poppens took eighth. Freshman Sarah Hanson (10th), sophomore Kari Schaefer (14th), freshman Caitlin Berry (20th) and junior Ashley Adams (21st) all scored for SDSU's victory.
With a skeleton squad comprised mostly of underclass runners, the women took fourth last weekend at the Woody Greeno/Nebraska Invitational in Lincoln, Neb. Poppens led SDSU with a fifth-place finish in the 277-runner event.
The team's lone home meet is the SDSU Invitational on Oct. 1 at Edgebrook Golf Course, but the immediate focus is on the Griak.
"(The Griak) is definitely the one where we go to and there are the most D-I-caliber athletes," Mansheim said. "It's not the one we focus on the most, but it feels like we have to just because it's so big, and there are so many great runners there."
DeHaven is also encouraged by a talented freshman class. Along with Garretson native Hanson and Watertown's Berry, the Jacks also signed state champ Valerie Warnke from Bonesteel-Fairfax High.
With a replenished and healthy roster, the goal now is to capture the Independent team championship.
"We're pretty excited about the fact that this group is going to be together for two years," DeHaven said. "The girls know what to expect now, and they know what to expect out of me. This year, the atmosphere is a lot more positive."
Reach Chris Solari at 977-3923.
SDSU's women runners return from '04 healthy, improved
Chris Solari
csolari@argusleader.com
Published: 09/22/05
BROOKINGS - Becka Mansheim looked beside her. The name on the jersey at last year's Roy Griak Invitational was a familiar one to the South Dakota State cross country runner, albeit not on the same starting line next to her.
Before she knew it, Mansheim was bursting past the girl from Arizona State.
"It was a little nerve-wracking," said Mansheim, a junior from Brookings. "When you're out there, and you start passing one of them, you're like, 'Wow, I can do this.' That's motivation in itself."
A year removed from a season in which injuries ravaged what was once a squad that was a perennial Division II title contender, the SDSU women's team joins its male brethren again Saturday at the Griak meet in Minneapolis with a whole different look.
SDSU's women finished last a year ago with an average time of 24:18, which was 23 seconds slower than 28th-place Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Mansheim finished 57th with a time of 22:33.6 in 2004 Griak, the only Jackrabbit in the top 100. Shannon Hattervig was next at 142nd 23:47.9.
This time, with a year to learn the rigors of the Division I level, the Jackrabbits don't feel star-struck headed into the 6,000-meter race that features more than 250 runners from around the country.
"It was really overwhelming to be on the line next to huge D-I schools and to be in a race with that number of people," said Hattervig, a sophomore from Rapid City. "But it was a good experience - especially now going into it - to know what to expect and to have more of a feel for it."
The Jacks were without top returners Krystie Ratzlaff, a former All-NCC runner, and Katie Tornberg for all of last season. And with the transfer of Kaylee Keating to the University of South Dakota, plus returning runners unsure of the move to Division I, Coach Rod DeHaven faced immediate challenges in his first year.
SDSU eventually finished fifth out of seven teams at the Division I Independent Championships. Mansheim finished sixth individually, but the other competing teams were curious what happened to a squad that had often owned them at the D-II level.
"We took our lumps," DeHaven said. "A lot of people probably wondered what was going on up here in Brookings."
So far this season, Hattervig has epitomized the improvement of the rapidly improving young squad that only has one senior. A walk-on a year ago, the former Rapid City Stevens runner won the 5,000-meter Dragon Invitational at Minnesota State-Moorhead title in 19:36.28.
"For myself, I had to mature pretty fast (last year) because you had to step up to that next level and really try to help your team out and not fall back and be a freshman," Hattervig said.
Tornberg returned at the Dragon Invitational and finished third, while Mansheim was fifth and senior Megan Poppens took eighth. Freshman Sarah Hanson (10th), sophomore Kari Schaefer (14th), freshman Caitlin Berry (20th) and junior Ashley Adams (21st) all scored for SDSU's victory.
With a skeleton squad comprised mostly of underclass runners, the women took fourth last weekend at the Woody Greeno/Nebraska Invitational in Lincoln, Neb. Poppens led SDSU with a fifth-place finish in the 277-runner event.
The team's lone home meet is the SDSU Invitational on Oct. 1 at Edgebrook Golf Course, but the immediate focus is on the Griak.
"(The Griak) is definitely the one where we go to and there are the most D-I-caliber athletes," Mansheim said. "It's not the one we focus on the most, but it feels like we have to just because it's so big, and there are so many great runners there."
DeHaven is also encouraged by a talented freshman class. Along with Garretson native Hanson and Watertown's Berry, the Jacks also signed state champ Valerie Warnke from Bonesteel-Fairfax High.
With a replenished and healthy roster, the goal now is to capture the Independent team championship.
"We're pretty excited about the fact that this group is going to be together for two years," DeHaven said. "The girls know what to expect now, and they know what to expect out of me. This year, the atmosphere is a lot more positive."
Reach Chris Solari at 977-3923.