After coming in second and fourth place overall at the Lone Star Conference Championships, head coach Chris Woods reevaluates cross country’s strategy for the next step.
Only three men and two women will run at Wichita Falls on Saturday in the NCAA II South Central Regional. Though the Wildcats won’t have enough members to make a full team, the runners could qualify individually for the national tournament.
“I just want to take those individuals that I feel have the best opportunity to qualify for Nationals individually,” Woods said. “It’s been a year unlike any other year we’ve had here at ACU in recent history. Every decision I make is for the team to move in a forward direction.”
The five runners going are William Pike, Erik Forrister, Fabian Wessel-Terharn, Chloe Susset and Alyse Goldsmith.
Pike said the rest of the team is taking a short amount of time off and will begin training for track season in a couple of weeks or so.
“As a coach I had to sit back and think about the big picture of each runner’s career over the next four or five years,” Woods said. “Although the immediate picture is I’m not taking a full team to regionals, the big picture is getting back on top of the Lone Star Conference in cross country, so that’s the direction we’re going in.”
Woods wants to get cross country back on track and win the LSC title next year.
“Recruiting can play a part of my decision because I do want to bring in a good class,” Woods said. “The guys I’m planning on bringing in need to feel confident and comfortable about the team they’re going to join.”
Woods said the decision to not take a full team was tough but thinks it was the best choice to make, especially for the men. This way they can re-group, rest and get healthy for the indoor and outdoor track seasons.
As for the women, Woods has high hopes Susset and Goldsmith will finish in the top-5, therefore qualifying for nationals. He’s excited for them and how well they’ve responded to training this season.
Woods asks for the support of everyone and to continue encouraging the five who will be running this weekend.
