WOMEN'S SIXTH PLACE FINISH ONE OF LAST YEAR'S HIGHLIGHTS...
CLEVELAND, OH (January 2, 2008) - Case Western Reserve Head Cross Country Coach Kathy Lanese couldn't be prouder of the women's team's sixth place finish at the 2007 Division III National Championships in November and as the New Year arrives it is certainly one of the highlights of 2007.
Lanese was a part-time assistant coach at Case Western Reserve from 1990-1994 before returning as the head coach for both the men's and women's teams in 2001. The Spartan women had never qualified for the Division III National Championships until Lanese came back to coach the program.
The Spartans came in 15th place at the Great Lakes Regionals in 2003 and 11th place in 2004. It was after that 2004 season that the team started to believe they could be successful.
Lanese started to recruit heavily and became a mentor to her team.
“The biggest factor is getting the runners to buy into your program. Three years ago the athletes starting buying into it and winning became contagious,” Lanese said. “Once our student-athletes caught that ‘running fever' it just exuded out to the rest of our team and that's where the success started. I firmly believe our winning mentality started three years ago.”
The winning atmosphere became apparent as the Spartans finished fourth in the 2005 Great Lakes Regional and missed a trip to nationals by a mere five points. Esther Erb qualified for her first national meet that year and began to develop into an All-American runner and team anchor.
In 2006, the Spartans had a breakthrough season. They won three-consecutive regular-season meets, starting with the Loyola of Chicago Sean Earl Invitational. The team ran its streak to four-in-a-row at the All-Ohio Invitational which pinned the Spartans up against the best teams in the state. Not only did the Spartans best all Division III schools in the competition, but they further established themselves as one of the premier women's cross country programs in the Great Lakes Region.
The Spartans then won their first University Athletic Association Championship the next week and traveled to the 2006 Great Lakes Regional where they would go on to win their sixth consecutive race and qualify for nationals for the first time.. The women would go onto place 10th at nationals, further capping off a dream season.
“Last year we remained undefeated up until the national meet. That was a very big season,” said Lanese. “This year [2007] was much bigger than the 2006 season because as I've always said to my girls and guys, ‘you have to do it in the end.' No matter how good your season and competition is throughout the year, we have to do it at the end, and this year we did it.”
Not only was their sixth place finish at this year's national meet the best cross country finish in Case Western Reserve history (men or women), but it was the best team finish in any Spartan sport, period.
“We are now the highest ranking Case team ever,” Lanese said. “Even though we didn't make it to the podium, I feel like were standing tall right now, representing Case Western Reserve University athletics to the fullest of our ability.”
Reaching nationals is extremely difficult.
“Getting to the national meet is a combination of talent and luck. The thing that was different about us finishing sixth this year versus 10th last year, was that last year we had a lot of luck,” Lanese said. “This season we belonged there, we deserved that sixth-place finish and certainly had a better team than last year.”
Lanese is proud of how calm and collected her team remained this season, even in the toughest of moments.
“I'm extremely proud of this squad and I cannot put it into words on how happy I am. Just the composure they have maintained this entire year,” Lanese said. “They are able to flip the switch from a really fun atmosphere to a really focused and competitive atmosphere at any moment and that is extremely difficult to do.”
Lanese believes this is the only the beginning of the Spartans success and is even more enthused on the future of her men's program.
“I believe next year we will have the best team chemistry in the history of the program and that says a lot,” Lanese said. “Now we're in a maintenance factor and we've got to maintain the level we are at. That's what makes teams rich in tradition and successful for years to come, the ability to maintain greatness each and every season.”
Not only is she proud of the way her runners competed this season and what the future holds for Case cross country, but having strong support from the Case community has been important for Lanese and her student-athletes.
“We have the best fans on the planet,” Lanese said. “It doesn't get any better than that.”
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