The LSU women’s cross country team will attempt to build on the season coach Mark Elliott called the best in his LSU tenure at the Southeastern Conference cross country Championship tonight in Nashville, Tenn.
Elliott said the Lady Tigers have a chance to finish second behind an Arkansas team that has separated itself from the rest of the SEC pack.
“We can have an extremely good race and still be fifth on the women’s side, but our goal is to be second at least,” Elliott said. “… It’s very rare that we have an opportunity to do that, so we’re going to try to make the most of it.”
Senior Laura Carleton, who has finished in the top-10 in every meet this season has anchored the No. 1 position and helped carry the Lady Tigers to arguably their greatest season ever.
But for the Lady Tigers to separate themselves from the middle of the pack and come away with a second place finish, the runners behind Carleton will have to come through with a strong performance, Elliott said.
Senior Brea Goodman said she and the other runners know their goal must be to keep the gap between them and Carleton as narrow as possible.
“We know Laura is going to be up there and take care of what she needs to as the No. 1 runner,” Goodman said.
For Carleton, Goodman, and fellow seniors Dakota Goodman and Charlene Lipsey, tonight’s race is not only their best chance at a top-5 finish at the Championships, but it’s also their last chance.
The four seniors drove the Lady Tigers’ success this season, but Elliott said their work isn’t done yet.
“You have to do well at this one for me to consider it a successful season,” Elliott said.
The No. 1 runner on the men’s side, senior Roger Cooke, will also race in his last SEC Championships tonight.
In a disappointing season, Cooke — the only senior on the team — has led LSU’s young group of runners, finishing as the Tigers’ top finisher in every race this season.
“It’s been a really fun ride, and I’m glad to be a part of this wonderful team and a part of this great program here at LSU,” Cooke said. “It will probably sink in after the race that this is my last cross country race in the LSU uniform.”
Cooke said tonight’s race is about building the young runners for the future of the program.
Though the Tigers haven’t found a winning formula yet this season, the team is talented, Cooke said. Once they tap into that potential, which Cooke said could be this weekend, they can compete with the more successful teams in the conference.
“In order to place well, you have to run with your teammates, you have to move up as a group and be as a group through most of the race,” Cooke said.
