Oct. 25, 2007

DeKALB, Ill. - The Northern Illinois women's cross country season culminates Saturday at the Mid-American Conference Championships in Mount Pleasant, Mich.

"Physically, (our team) is ready," cross country coach Mark McConeghey said. "The confidence level is higher than last year, but they're not overconfident."

Head NIU Track and Field Coach Connie Teaberry has been impressed with her fall team's performance.

"Coach McConeghey has done an excellent job preparing our athletes for competition," Teaberry said. "The cross country ladies have worked extremely hard, and because of this they have reaped great success this season!"

Teaberry is optimistic about the conference championships.

"These nine ladies set their eyes on improving, and they have," she said. "I am proud of each and every one of our Huskie cross country athletes, and I know we will rise to the occasion at the MAC Championships. "

The team has gotten better from meet to meet this season, according to McConeghey, a trend he expects to continue.

"Meghan Ginter, Sunsea Shaw and Denisse Valladares have improved with each race," he said. "Stacey Rosch has also been doing very well. We are as ready as we're going to be."

Ginter (Aurora, Ill./Waubonsie Valley) and Shaw (South Bend, Ind./Riley) have each been the top-finishing Huskie twice this year. Shaw, a freshman, has held court for NIU in the team's past two races.

The MAC Women's Cross Country Championship Race will be held at the Riverwood Resort, two miles west of Central Michigan's campus in Mount Pleasant. The five-kilometer race, which features women's teams from all 12 MAC schools, starts at 10 a.m. (CST).