This weekend the women's cross-country team will conclude its season with the NCAA Districts in Lock Haven, Pa.
The team has been on a roll this fall, including a strong sixth-place finish in their last meet, the Heptagonal Championships, which serves as the Ivy League Championships.
It was the team's best finish at Heps in 10 years.
This season has been considered an accomplishment by everyone on the team and this weekend should be no exception.
The Districts function as a qualifier for the National Championships.
Although it is unlikely that the Penn team will qualify for Nationals, this weekend still remains important.
It will be the end of a very successful season for seniors Emily Logan and Elaina Lord, who have consistently finished first or second for the Quakers throughout the year. A strong finish at Districts would certainly cap a very good season.
For the rest of the team, the meet will provide a glimpse into the future. This year's squad features a number of sensational freshmen, headlined by Emily Buzzell, who has turned in strong performances at every meet she has attended this year.
The goal for the team this weekend, according to Buzzell, "is to keep improving" and to "get their feet wet" in order to "set a good tone for next year."
The competition at Districts, however, should be tenacious. Many of the top teams in the country, including Villanova, Georgetown and Princeton are in this weekend's elite field. The field is also large, featuring about 20 schools.
The Penn team has been training hard this week after their success at Heps. Buzzell said they "are peaking for this race, trying to get race-sharp" and turn in a solid performance.
No matter what the result this weekend, the future of Quakers women's cross-country appears to be in good hands.
Buzzell explained that the team will "definitely get better next year, has a good recruiting class coming and a good young team."
