Brandt

Reimer

Watson

Cupido

Brown

Dingman

Grimm

KUTZTOWN, PA. (November 21, 2009) -- Members of the Kutztown University women's cross-country team took time from its training for this weekend's NCAA Championship meet to discuss -- in their own words -- what it means to qualify for NCAA championships, how they were able to bounce back from finishing fifth during the PSAC championships and what they were thinking during the halfway point of the Atlantic Regional championship meet.

Sit back and relax as Rebecca Brandt, Christina Reimer, Maureen Watson, Kristin Cupido, Cheryl Dingman, Keri Brown and Steph Grimm give you inside access into the insights of a cross-country runner. This is the second of three parts.

Link to Part One

      Link to Part Two

      3.  What does it mean to you to be able to compete at the NCAA Championship meet?

      Rebecca Brandt: As a freshman its really exciting to be able to compete at such a high level and be on a team that is naturally talented.  I know these girls have been waiting for a while to go back to a NCAA Championship so I'm really glad that I could help them reach their goal.  It's an honor to be on this team and will be very exciting to see how our team does when we go head to head with the best teams in the country.

      Cristina Reimer: To keep it simple, competing at the NCAA Championship meet is a dream come true.  Being eligible to even go means your team has worked hard and that you've earned your spot to go by racing well as a team.  Not just any team goes, so it is an honor to be considered one of those top DII teams to go and represent your school only proving that much more how dedicated you are to your sport and your team.  This year the majority of us going to nationals (top 7 girls) have never been to the "Big Race", so it will truly be an eye-opening experience for all of us to compete with other teams with just as much talent that we have.  Going to Nationals means three things to me: it will be un-like any other running event I've experienced, gives us the opportunity to "hold our own"  nationally and more importantly, it gives our team one last shot at racing together proving to each other how bad we really want to race well as a team. A friend of mine said a quote and i've always kept it in mind, goes like this: “My teammates are my ultimate motivation...they are the reason i want to be my best.”

Maureen Watson: It means a lot to me to be able to compete at this meet.  I made it to nationals my freshman year with the team, and it’s a great feeling to be able to make it back for my senior year.  I couldn't wish for a better ending to my collegiate cross-country career.  Running has been a part of who I am and mostly everything I do from how I eat to what time I go to bed.  I feel really blessed that I have made it to nationals with this particular group of girls. 

Keri Brown: It means that we get to compete with the best of the best and that we are among the best. I am honored to be part of this team this year. I had a rough beginning of the season and never thought I'd be able to compete this season let alone go to Nationals. It's just completely awesome, and one of the best surprises I have gotten in a while. I'm so ready to have some fun and give it everything I got!! This is where we are going to prove just how special our team is!

Kristin Cupido: I can't express how happy/excited/proud that we made it to the NCAA Championship meet.  It means the world to me.  I, personally, have been waiting for this my entire running career.  We proved ourselves at regionals and really made it happen.  From the start of the summer we kept saying the same two words during the hard workouts, cross-training if we were injured, and the long runs-"Think Nationals."  It was a big motivation to us because not qualifying two years in a row really gave us the extra motivation to make it.  I am so excited that we made it as a team because it is going to be such a great experience and a lot of fun, but we will definitely be looking at Shippensburg as a major target.  We will not take it lightly being at the national meet.  We worked hard to get here and we are going to run our best and give it our all to not just prove to ourselves we can do it, because we know we can, but to everyone else who counted us out.  We are very excited and very blessed with this opportunity and we are ready to GET SOME!

Stephanie Grimm: It means everything to be able compete at nationals. This is my first full (and last) season of cross country. I never ran in high school; I only did two years of track. Then I went to West Virginia University and played club Ultimate Frisbee before I transferred to KU. I got a stress fracture last season after my second meet, so I wasn't able to finish out the season. I'm so grateful Coach Hoffman gave me the opportunity to run with such a talented and close-knit team. I'm proud to run with these girls and represent KU at Nationals.

Cheryl Dingman: To me, this means more than words can really explain. I competed at nationals my freshman and sophomore year, and to have my last colligate race ever be at the NCAA championships my senior year just makes everything worth it. Especially to be able to travel and compete with this year's team. We all work together so well, and its such a great group of friends and teammates to be surrounded with. My team gave me that 'one last race!' and I cannot thank them enough. This year's national experience will be one that I will remember forever. KUXC rocks. 

--KU--