Blugold runners look forward to strong year
Claudia Lozano
Issue date: 9/8/08 Section: Sports
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Tiffany said coping with being a freshman and entering a new team as well as college was great.
"It's like I came to college and had immediate friends," she said. "It's fun."
The cross country team had its first run of the season on Friday as they competed in the team's Hokum Karem Race at Lowes Creek County Park.
Coach Dan Schwamberger said this was a different type of race compared to the ones they will have later in the season.
At Friday's meet on the men's side, junior Kyle Kopidlansky and freshman Jeremy Kieser took first place.
"It was a good race," Kopidlansky said. "It was kind of a different one because it was a relay … it kind of felt like a workout because of that but there was definitely some competition there."
Tiffany took fourth place in the women's side, earning her the highest position from the women's team.
"(I) didn't really know how ... I should train, but now that I've been on the team for a while I'm getting a better feel for how I should prepare myself for next year," Tiffany said.
Schwamberger said the freshmen are doing really well.
"I think being part of a team no matter if it is cross country or football … right away you've got a bunch of teammates around you that have all gone through the same thing you're going through," he said. "Just having that support … it really helps the transition to college."
Kopidlansky echoed that thought and said the team should be really strong this year.
"We are ranked No. 34 in the country right now and we are looking to making it to nationals this year," he said. "It would be the first time since 1999."
Last year the women's team finished 8th in nationals.
"We have a chance to finish even higher at nationals this year," Schwamberger said. "We have to make sure that we are healthy throughout the season."
As for the men, Schwamberger said he is really pumped for this season.
"We've got very strong freshmen," he said. "We've got some people that were injured last year that are healthy now."
Schwamberger coaches both the men's and women's teams. When he was an assistant coach at UW-Platteville, he coached both men and women as well.
"I personally really like it," he said. "Obviously we are two teams, but we train together so it's almost like we are one team - I really like the chemistry."
Schwamberger said as far as training goes, everything is very similar but there are different dynamics for coaching men and women.
"I'm very fortunate that I have four really great assistant coaches," he said. "That really helps me out; it would be impossible to do everything … I have a very good support staff."
The Blugolds will travel to Whitewater for their second competition that will begin at 11 a.m. this Saturday. The whole team will compete this time and Schwamberger said he is really looking forward to this new season.
"I think both teams are going to do very well this year," he said. "I'm very excited for both teams."
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