By
Chris Martin
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Chaplin back in competition after week off
Arizona junior Tara Chaplin might finally have some competition.
After winning both of the meets - the Purdue Invitational and the Roy Griak Invitational - she has run this year, Chaplin and the UA women's cross country team are sure to have some stiff competition at the Pre-NCAA Invitational.
Facing a field of more than 60 teams - including No. 1 Stanford, No. 2 Colorado, No. 3 Brigham Young, No. 7 Georgetown, No. 10 Boston College and No. 14 Arizona State - the No. 15 Wildcats will be pressed to give one of their best performances of the year.
"I think there will probably be close to 20 of the top 20 to 30 teams in the country will be there," UA head coach Dave Murray said. "This field, I feel, could almost be as strong as the national championships."
Chaplin, who sat out last week's Notre Dame Invitational, will pace Arizona on the 10,000 meter course in Ames, Iowa.
A key to Chaplin's success on the Iowa State University Cross Country Course will be getting off to a quick pace.
"I need to be ahead of the main pack," Chaplin said. "I don't need to be leading, but I don't need to be stuck behind 400 people, either."
Last year at the Pre-NCAA Invitational, Chaplin got off to a quick lead and led after 4,000m, but she faded at the end to finish in fifth.
With more than 600 runners competing, a third individual crown this season may be out of reach according to Chaplin.
Murray is also expecting strong performances from the rest of the women's team. Without Chaplin, the team finished in an impressive third place at the Notre Dame Invitational.
Senior and No. 2 runner Katrin Engelen is expected to have a strong showing for the Wildcats to finish amongst the top teams.
Junior Erin Doherty, who finished in 21st place last Saturday, has been running well as of late also and should be running in the main pack of runners.
"She is just getting stronger and stronger," Chaplin said.
Also running for UA will be sophomores Kimberly Bates - Arizona's No. 4 runner - and Nicole Gurnicz, along with freshman Beth Hoge and junior Jennifer Burris.
A strong showing at the Pre-NCAA Invitational would almost guarantee the women's team an automatic bid in the NCAA championships on Nov. 20, as the team has had solid showings in all three of its meets this season.
The NCAA championship will also take place at the Iowa State University Cross Country Course.
"I feel confident that we will do real well," Murray said. "So far, this season has been progressing really well."
