Team 'hungry' for success

Sometimes sports can be all about luck. Last year the women's cross country team had what some would call a lack thereof. \nIn 2005, injury after injury and bad luck took their toll on a talented team competing for a Big Ten Championship.\n"We need a little more luck than we had last year," IU coach Judy Wilson said. "I could go down the roster from last year and tell you where every single girl had something that we had to deal with. Whether it was low iron, a pulled muscle, a bad back, a stress fracture, I've just never had a season like that."\nThroughout last season, the Hoosiers suffered a number of injuries to key runners including seniors Jessica Gall and Lindsay Hattendorf and sophomores Wendi Robinson and Stephanie Greer. Despite the injuries, the Hoosiers performed strongly throughout the year.\nLed by a ninth-place finish from Gall, the Hoosiers finished fourth at the Big Ten Championships last season. Returning for her senior year, Gall became the second Hoosier in team history to earn All-American honors after finishing fifth in the NCAA Regional meet and 32nd at the NCAA National Championship.\nWilson said she is looking for a solid performance by Gall in the nationals this year. \n"She's our most fit runner, but I don't like to have team captains," she said. "I think that people take charge on certain days."\nAs the team looks toward this season, it will need to stay healthy and create chemistry on a squad that includes 22 runners, eight of whom are freshmen.\n"Having a lot of freshmen on the team helps us," Gall said. "It brings enthusiasm and a sense of pride that allows the older girls to teach them what it means to be a Hoosier."\nIU looks to continue its enthusiasm throughout the season as the team will compete in half of its meets at home, including the Big Ten Championships Oct. 29. The team will also compete at IU on three more occasions this year, including the IU Community 5K, which starts Friday.\nWith the Big Ten Championships at IU this year, the Hoosiers hope to utilize their own course to their advantage as they will look to overcome defending champion Michigan.\n"We definitely know this course better going into the meet," Robinson said. "And it's always great when you're at home and people can turn out and cheer for you."\nThe home course also prepares the Hoosiers before the Big Ten Championships due to the amount of hills on the course and in the Bloomington area, said sophomore Ashley Sommer.\nWhile the Hoosiers enjoy the benefit of being able to run at home throughout the year, they aren't at the level to capture a Big Ten title, Wilson said. However, she believes that if the team can stay healthy and fit, winning the Big Ten is certainly a possibility.\nGall, who has experienced firsthand the frustration of injury, also believes that this year's team has much potential.\n"We've learned a lot from last year," Gall said. "Not doing so well makes us a lot hungrier to achieve the goals that we missed out on last year"