z 0 _J m w a LL 0 z 0 Cf) <( w Cf) <( }).h > \ TIII. F.T IC', By Dustin Schandevel Thr Harding women's cross country Leam faced many challenges after they welcomed eight new freshmen in 2016. H ead coach teve Guymon said it was a year of rebuilding the team and trying to learn how to come together after losing the graduating seniors· leader hip. "Losing three senior and their talent hurt a lot more than I thought iL ,rnuld,'. Guymon said. "This team had LO !redevelop its] chemistry and unity." During the first week Lhc team affived at school, they "·ent to a cross coumry camp "·here the members interacted for the first rime. Senior paired up with freshmen Lo be mentor throughout the ea.on. enior Caitlyn :\Ic:\linn said the seniors "-ere excited about the leader hip opportunity. .., re ,,-ere excited about it because that \\·ould lead to team gro\\'th," :\k\[inn said. "The seniors always took care of us. so \\'C finally got the- chance to impact the freshmen and prepare them for rhcir next [four] years." Freshman Hayley Baca said she ki1e,,· it would be a different e:\.verienec but he enjoyed the change. '·It was dcfiniteiy a lrarning experience to be a freshman on a college team," Baca .aid. "I came from a high mileage progr;:im in high chool. so the transition ,, as a lot diAercnt coming here. but I lowd it." Although Guymon called it a rebuilding yea1~ the ream still did \"CI')' ,,·cU. They finished second in their first meet of the season and won meets at the Uni,-crsity of Central Arkansas anrl the Colkge or the Ozarks. The team finished second at the Great American Conference '"Losing three seniors and their talent hurt a lot more than I thought it would. This team had to [redevelop its} chemistry and unity.)) -Head coach Steve Guymon meet. It was tough on the seniors as they had won the title e\'ery year before. Baca said the second-place finish aided in the impro,·ement of the team's chemistry. ·'\\'e all crossed the line and knew what had happened," Baca said. "It \\'as a huge upset but it brought us closer as a team." Guymon .aid it was a time or reflection for him after the team did not ,,·in its fourth consecuti,-c conference title. ··1 sit back as a coach and think about "·hat I could ha,·e done to make it better,'' Guymon said. "You !'eel for them because you know ho,,· [badlyl they want it, and they put so much time and work into that one conference run.·' l\Icl\linn called the season a uccess and was plea eel with how the team competed. "\ \'e each had one person in a race we would pair up with so we could push each other through,'' M cMinn said. "I think we did a good job this year of follm,ing through ,,ith our goals and encouraging each other." Senior Lawson Belcher rounds the corner at the Division II Central Region meet on Nov. 5, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Belcher placed in Harding's top-five runners throughout the season, placing fourth overall at the Great American Conference meet. I Photo courtesy of Betty Evans Graduate student Sylvie Mueller, senior Amber Webb and juniors Madiso n Drennan and Caitlyn McMinn compete in the Division II Central Region meet on Nov. 5, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The Lady Bisons placed 16th at the Division II Central Region meet and second at the Great American Conference meet. I Photo courtesy of Betty Evans
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