2008 Women's Cross Country Season Outlook

Scots Still Youthful, But Now Ready to Make Strides

An all-conference honoree as a freshman, Suzanne Capehart has the potential to make even more of an impact this fall.

After a rebuilding season, in which three of the top-five runners were first-years, The College of Wooster now aims to build on that experience and continue its tradition as one of the top women’s cross country squads in the North Coast Athletic Conference. The Fighting Scots have won the third-most NCAC crowns (four) over the history of the league.

Along with that team success, Wooster has been home to a long line of individual standouts and sophomore Suzanne Capehart appears ready to carry on that torch. Capehart was the Scots’ top finisher at every meet last fall, highlighted by a 16th-place showing (23:50) at the conference championships, good for honorable mention on the All-NCAC Team.

“Suzanne had a tremendous start to her career and seems to be fitting into a similar role to that of the (regional and national) impact women we’ve had in the past,” commented 20th-year head coach Dennis Rice. “I was really pleased with the way she progressed throughout the track season, so we hope to see continued improvement.”

Also looking to resume their development following productive rookie campaigns are Jessica Yarmosky and Chelsea Fisher, as they both scored at the NCAC’s and NCAA Div. III Great Lakes Regional Championships. Yarmosky finished 36th (25:02) and 145th (25:21) in those respective races and Fisher was 42nd (25:42) and 150th (25:29).

While Wooster will still be very young in 2008, witness just three seniors and two juniors among its 19 team members, some veterans may be counted on to be regular contributors. Emily Elderbrock, Anna Gil, and Becca Thomas are senior tri-captains, with Elderbrock having been just out of the scoring at last fall’s regional (26:04), and junior Caitlin O’Riordan has been part of the Scots’ conference and regional teams her first two years.

In addition to the trio of Capehart, Yarmosky, and Fisher, a number of other sophomores could make an impact, including Dana Culbert, Sara Falkoff, and Whitney Rappole.

Wooster, which also has a “nice group of first-years,” according to Rice, probably does not possess the necessary experience to make a run at the NCAC championship. Instead, Rice views the 2008 season as setting the foundation for future success.

“We’ve had very good success (over the years) with the women both team-wise and individually, and this group has the chance to be the next great one. We could have some exciting results down the road.”