In a sports year filled with firsts, one sport accomplished two completely dif· ferent firsts in the 1981 season. For the first time in the school's history, women competed in cross country. At the conclusion of the season, the other first was accomplished as the Lady Harriers took the NAIA District 17 title. Under the direction of men's coach Ted Lloyd and assistant coach Joe Boyle, the squad started from a group of 21 girls. Lloyd, who had led the men 's teams to 10 consecutive conference championships, had a hard task ahead of him in training a squad that had relative· Iy no previous running experience. "It's difficult to know exactly how they will be able to compete," the coach said before the season. The actual history of the season was made on September 29th when the girls travelled to Batesville for a dual meet with Arkansas College. Led by a third place finish from Kim Castle and a fourth place by Marci Williams, the Bisonettes outpOinted the women from AC, 25-36, to win their first official meet. Wins continued to come in as the Bisonettes dropped Southwestern of Memphis by the score of 18·43. Castle I. WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY TEAM. Fron! row: Westover, Hodel, Fraley, Smith. Second row: Belew, Eno, Upton, Harris, Rix, Alston· Manager. Back row: Lloyd·Coach, Boyle· Coach, Reeh, Castle, Sulton, Stone, Perry· Manager. 2. AFTER a hard race, a lillie com· passion always helps drive away the pain. 3. GINA HODEL tries to pass her Arkansas Col· lege opponent. 4. KIM CASTLE presents the NAJA District 17 championship plaque to Dr. Joe Pryor while Lee Belew and Sharon West· over look on during a chapel presentation. 294· Women's Cross Country Women Take First Ever Title took individual honors while Marla Up· ton came in second. Lee Belew, Tiny Fraley and Sherry Harris placed fourth, fifth and sixth to give added support. "Most all of the girls improved their best times, " Lloyd sa id after the Southwestern meet. "For the first time this year we really looked like a cross country team ." Next came the NAIA District 17 meet, held at Arkansas College. Running against AC, the Bisonetles picked up four of the top six places on their way to a 24·32 victory. Upton finished second behind Arkansas College's Diane Marshall with a time of 19:25 over the 5000 meter course, Castle followed with a third place time of 19:59. Harris ran the course in 21:12 for fifth place while Sharon Westover ran a 21:30 for sixth place. Upton, Castle and Harris were awarded AII·NAIA District 17 distinction for their performances. "We had a super effort," Lloyd said following the race, "for the times of our athletes surpassed anything we ever thought we'd be able to do this year." Boyle added, "I'm really proud of the way the girls competed. They really went out with the determination to win." By virtue of their win, the Bisonettes travelled with the men's squad to Kenosha, Wisconsin to compete in the NAIA national meet. Competing at the national level for the first time, the girls placed twelfth behind a 41 st place by Castle and a 43rd place by Upton. Westover placed 71st while Belew plac· ed 75th and Gina Hodel placed 78th. "When you start a program, you have nothing to compare you progress to," Lloyd sa id of the year that passed. "We feel the girls came nearer to realizing their potential than we had expected and they proved to be good competitors. The experience will prove invaluable." t::. - COUrlesy oj Publicity ()jjIa
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTc5NA==