Injured runner returns with success

Junior Nate Purcell provided the men's cross country team with a pleasant surprise. Coming off a nagging heel injury last season, Purcell was forced into surgery last spring and it was undetermined when he would be back to full strength. \nPurcell's surgery limited the mileage he was able to run over the summer. His training consisted of running nearly half the amount that the rest of the team. Due to this, Purcell and coach Robert Chapman focused on the later part of the season.\n"With Nate, we both knew it would be a progressive process as the year goes on," Chapman said. "He's going to get a little better each week."\nChapman referred to Purcell as a relief to the pressure of the younger runners. He said Purcell will pick up the slack if anyone falters.\nPurcell said that in the past the team had gained a reputation from running poorly in races. He said he is confident this year the team will put that behind them.\n"We have always had the talent but on race day the team would not get the job done," Purcell said. "This year that is not going to happen."\nThis confidence is one of the main traits that has helped the team succeed. Junior Robert De Witte said that this confidence is contagious to the other runners on the team.\n"Nate's the type of teammate that will come up next to you in a race, say 'let's go get these guys' and actually make you believe you can do it," De Witte said. "His tenacious ability to drag his teammates through the tough middle of a race is invaluable."\nPurcell showed his worth in the team's last meet October 5 at the Indiana State Invitational where he was the team's fifth runner. He finished the race 43rd overall with a time of 25:32.9 over the eight kilometer course.\nPurcell has consistently been a force for the team during his career. After redshirting his freshman year, he was the team's fourth runner at the NCAA Championships his sophomore year.\nPurcell carries top honors from his high school performances in Illinois. As a junior, he placed seventh in the state meet and ninth as a senior.\nNow, healthy and confident, Purcell looks to help his team in the big meets in November, which include Big Ten Championships, the Great Lakes Regional meet and the NCAA Championship meet.\n"Come November there will be no excuses," Purcell said. "We are going to put our past reputation to rest and give people a reason to respect us"