ENDURING THE PACE. Margaret Eoff, junior, along with Carrie Crider, sophomore, lengthens the distance between them and the "pack" at the meet. Eoff completed the race in fifth place. -Photo by Don T. Strader OUT OF THE WOODS. Kelsie Hutchinson, sophomore, leads as she and Parks, sophomore run through the rough. Hutchinson received her first All AIC rating. -Photo by Don Strader Comple!l/Jg tile course 'Competition was great among the teammates but being a unit was first,' said Edwards A third consecutive conference championship comprised the team's seventh year and saw all seven of the members place as All-AIC/District 17 runners. Leading the team was Cheryl Bednosky who won the conference meet in 17:26, a full minute ahead of her nearest competitor. The nearest competitor was teammate Melynda Davis who ran in second place throughout the meet. Taking the top four spots and seven of the eleven spots the team was assured a victory. With the conference Championship under their belts the team looked forward to the nationals in Kenosha, WI. The Lady Bisons ran mainly out of state in order to compete with larger and more competitive schools. Competing in Springfield, MO, they achieved a fourth place finish against such teams as Kansas State University and Southeastern Missouri State. At the University of Missouri-Rolla, the team finished second with Bednosky and Davis in second and third place. Two other members, Kelsie Hutchinson and Tracy 26 Playing for keeps Parks, also placed in the top twenty. After a string of victories, the team lost a close race with Emory University 31-37. This late season loss was followed by the conference meet, which they easily won November 8. "All year we had been ranked close to the top ten, but it wasn't until after we won the conference that we started believing it," commented Melynda Davis. The team was ranked from 12th to 18th during the season and proved to be one of the finest teams in the national competition. A team goal of placing in the top ten wasn't achieved; however, the team did place in the top twenty. Once again the team was lead by Bednosky followed by Davis and Parks in the national meet. Bednosky placed 31st with Davis placing 41st and Parks 84th. All three broke 19:00 on the 5k course. At the completion of the race the team was in 14th place, proving to be one of the finest teams in the nation. -Melynda Davis
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