Kappa Kappa Gamma finishes in top 5 for 6th consecutive women’s race

Although Kappa Kappa Gamma qualified in the middle of the pack, the defending champions wasted little time making a move Friday at the women’s Little 500.\nSenior rider Caroline Andrew raced to the outside quickly after starting on the outside of row four in 12th position. Andrew moved up several positions in the standings as the pack pedaled down the backstretch. She continued her sprint, taking the lead before the end of the first lap.\nThe team had planned to get out in front early to avoid race traffic, Andrew said.\n“We do have three practice starts before the race,” she said. “After our first practice start, I figured (out) that strategy because the race was starting a lot slower this year than last year when I started. In order to avoid wrecks, be safe and get to a good position, I had to get to the front as soon as possible.”\nKappa Kappa Gamma coach Bill Naas said the first rider is crucial for setting up early race position.\n“That’s the responsibility of the first rider to get the team in good position and get through those first few laps, which can be laden with wrecks,” Naas said. “That was Caroline’s job.”\nAfter taking the early lead, Kappa Kappa Gamma continued to be one of the race leaders in contention for the championship, before Kappa Delta took a big lead with about 40 laps remaining. Kappa Kappa Gamma finished the race in fifth position.\nAndrew said she was proud of the effort her team gave on the track and congratulated Kappa Delta for its performance.\n“Power to Kappa Delta,” she said. “They rode an amazing race, put the hammer down and snuck away with it.”\nFriday was the sixth consecutive top-five finish for Kappa Kappa Gamma, who has a race-record five championships after last year’s final lap heroics from hall-of-fame rider Jess Sapp.\nWhile the team lost Sapp to graduation, she and other alumni were behind the Kappa Kappa Gamma fence to support this year’s team.\n“We have riders right behind our fence that have ridden for the past six years,” Andrew said. “It’s so great and so comforting to look back and see faces that have been in our shoes.”\nNaas said the support of the alumni and the successes they have had builds each year on the Kappa Kappa Gamma tradition.\n“It says everything, that it is a program,” he said. “They work hard and get prepared each year. When you are on a Kappa team, the expectations are that you are going to go out there and challenge for the win.”\nThe team returns three riders next year as Kappa Kappa Gamma will look for its sixth championship. Freshman Mary Rush said the team is looking forward to next year and will begin training this week.\nWith the team having high expectations again for next year, Nass said all the team can do is put itself in a position to be successful on race day.\n“We are going to plug in where we need to plug in and once again hopefully put the girls in a position to qualify well and race well,” he said.