Cross Country Q&A: Big 12 Championships

AMES, Iowa – For five years, the Big 12 Cross Country Championships have been absent from the Iowa State University campus. That changes Saturday as the Cyclones welcome new and familiar faces to the conference championships at the Iowa State Cross Country Course.

All eyes on @Big12Conference Championships 🏆

We'll see you at the Iowa State Cross Country Course next Saturday 🫡#Run4ISU | #AsAUnit | #NCAAXC23 pic.twitter.com/veBehLxDbs
— Iowa State Track & XC (@CycloneTrackXC) October 21, 2023

Several runners for both the men's and women's teams have had October 28^th circled on their calendars and will look forward to running this race on their home course for the first time in their careers. But the Big 12 Championships only mark the beginning of their postseason schedule, something each squad hopes to continue to the NCAA Championships on November 18^th.

For the women, three fifth-year seniors have led the way for head coach Amy Rudolph. Madelynn Hill has been Iowa State's top finisher at each meet she's competed in, including a top-25 placement against a loaded field at the Virginia Invitational. Janette Schraft and Dana Feyen have also been strong runners for the Cyclones, packing in behind Hill and bringing the rest of their group along. Running against some of the nation's top talent at both Virginia and the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational, Iowa State came away with sixth and 11^th-place team finishes, respectively. ISU also reached its top-ranking at No. 12 in the USTFCCCA National Coaches Poll following the impressive finish at UVA.

On the men's side, junior transfer Said Mechaal finished in the top-15 against a loaded Nuttycombe field two weeks ago and is gearing up for his first Big 12 Championship meet. Following Mechaal, several Cyclones have been in the mix to help out with the team standings. Gable Sieperda ran at the NCAA Championships in 2022, individually qualifying after finishing eighth at the Midwest Regional Championships. Other individuals to watch on Saturday are Sanele Masondo (top-80 at Nuttycombe), Silas Winders (top-65 at Virginia) and Ezekiel Rop.

See you next weekend Cyclone Nation‼️ One week out from the @Big12Conference Championships 🙌#Run4ISU | #NCAAXC23 | #RunPanorama pic.twitter.com/pSUdTXgKXx
— Iowa State Track & XC (@CycloneTrackXC) October 21, 2023

Below is a Q&A with Schraft, Feyen and Hill discussing their thoughts about the upcoming conference championships along with other postseason aspirations.

Q: Iowa State hasn't hosted the Big 12 Championships since 2018 – what does it mean to be able to race on your home course for a conference championship for the first time in your ISU career?

Feyen A: The Big 12 Championships is about showing up for your team. We are thankful to be able to run the conference meet at home this year. Running on our home course is something Madelynn, Janette, and I have dreamed about since coming to Iowa State. It will be a blessing for the team to have so many people out cheering on the course that have shaped our collegiate journeys.

Schraft A: Racing at home is the perfect start to championship season for my last season of cross country. All our supporters have been looking forward to this for years now, especially since we don't typically host outdoor track either. Having the opportunity to show everyone who has supported our running at one of the best meets in the country is a gift to say the least. I cannot wait to hear everyone's cheers and feel their love.

Q: How does welcoming four new teams (BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, UCF) to the conference this season add to the high-level competition?

Schraft A: It definitely adds to the challenge. The top-three teams at Big 12's will all likely have a spot at the NCAA championships in November, with new BYU being one of them. Having more bodies in the mix will make the race closer and faster.

Q: How do you feel your regular season schedule has prepared you for Big 12s as well as NCAA postseason meets?

Feyen A: Running in high-level cross country meets is a skill. Learning to run in a sizable field like at the Virginia Invitational or Nuttycombe takes practice, and our early meets provided great opportunities to prepare for the level of competition we will face as a team later in the season.

Q: What are the goals for this team this postseason or what accomplishments make this a successful postseason for your team?

Hill A: Before the beginning of every season, our team comes up with a "hashtag" or "mantra" that motivates and encourages us throughout the year. This year, it's #AsAUnit. And I think that as this team moves into the postseason, fully embody that saying - AsAUnit, is going to be really important as we look forward to qualifying for the NCAA's and hopefully having a strong team performance at the national meet.

More information regarding Saturday's meet can be found here.

Players Mentioned

Dana Feyen

Madelynn Hill

Sanele Masondo

Said Mechaal

Ezekiel Rop

Janette Schraft

Gable Sieperda

Silas Winders

Sponsors

Iowa State University Athletics

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