Sept. 11, 2003

Grand Valley State's women's cross country team is starting the 2003 season ranked #1 in the Great Lakes Regional Poll and #3 in the Preseason National Poll. The Lakers are coming off the strongest season in school history after capturing the GLIAC and NCAA Great Lakes Regional Championship titles, and finishing third at the DII NCAA National Championships.

Five Lakers earned All-American honors last season and four of them return this year in hopes of bettering last year's results. Junior Natalie Ewing finished 21st, sophomore Kara Egan placed 29th, Jeannette Seckinger was 31st, and junior Krista O'Dell finished 33rd overall in 2002. Head Coach Jerry Baltes looks to those four to lead the team back to the NCAA Championships.

"We are getting great leadership from our upperclass women," said Baltes. "I am very excited and pleased with O'Dell and Seckinger's fitness level at this point of the season."

In addition, senior Steph Kuhlman, who was the 2003 NCAA 800 meter champion, will add great strength to the roster. Kuhlman is scheduled to open up in two weeks at the Great American Cross Country Festival in North Carolina at the site of the 2003 NCAA National Championships hosted by St. Augustine.

"Our women look very strong at this point," said Baltes. "We are being very patient and not rushing anything at this point. We are taking training one day at a time and putting the work in needed to be ready come the six weeks of the season."

The Lakers open up at the Aquinas Open (Riverside Park in Grand Rapids) on Friday, September 12 at 5:00 p.m.

Click below for the 2003 Cross Country Regional and National Rankings:
CC Rankings