The UW men's cross country team eagerly awaits its chance to capture a national championship next Monday in Terra Haute, Ind.
The top-ranked Badgers earned an automatic berth into the NCAA Championships after winning the NCAA Great Lakes regional title in Ypsilanti, Mich. Nov. 13. The team's regional title was its 20th, and came after winning its sixth consecutive Big Ten Championship.
Head Coach Jerry Schumacher hopes his team can repeat the success they have experienced all season and win its first national championship since 1988.
\I think we've done everything that we wanted to do this season, and now we're right where we want to be,"" Schumacher said. ""We just have to get to the meet now. Everybody's healthy. We're ready to run.""
In preparing for Monday's meet, Schumacher said the team will focus on the little things away from the course that can affect their performance.
""All the preparations leading up to this point are done,"" he said. ""Training-wise, it's more rest than anything else.""
Instead, Schumacher said that the team will focus on things like getting plenty of sleep, eating right and trying not to get sick.
Meanwhile, the team looks to take advantage of its intangibles when it runs Monday. The maturity and experience this group of runners possesses may make the difference in helping them achieve a national championship.
""Experience plays a big role,"" Schumacher said. ""We had very good teams [the last two years], but we were very young. We do have young guys still on our team competing, but having the senior leadership that we have will really carry this team.""
Five of the top seven runners are upperclassmen, including three seniors. Seniors Matt Tegenkamp, Josh Spiker and Tim Keller hope to provide the leadership Schumacher expects. Junior standout Simon Bairu, junior Bobby Lockhart and sophomores Tim Keller and Chris Solinsky round out the top runners of the nation's No. 1 team.
Despite the No. 1 ranking, Coach Schumacher expects his team to stay focused on the race.
""We've more or less just had the approach that we're going to go to the NCAAs and run to the best of our abilities, no matter what our ranking is, and we'll really get that final ranking that day,"" Schumacher said. ""If we run the way we're capable of, I think we have a great shot at winning.""
