Upperclassmen lead the way for the Hawks’ young runners.

by Connor Sindberg
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One theme that has stood out early into the season for the women’s cross-country team is the value of having experience.

In the first two meets, experienced runners Madison Waymire and Tess Wilberding have been the leaders for the Hawkeyes.

Outside of them, however, experience is hard to find on a roster with only three upperclassmen. Having Waymire as a proven sophomore and Wilberding a third-year veteran leading the way has been crucial.

It’s only fitting that Wilberding, one of those experienced runners, was named the team’s captain earlier this month.

“I think it’s very important that Tess is our team captain this year,” Waymire said. “She is so supportive of everyone on the team and is not only a leader in how she acts, but she is also a leader on the course.”

Waymire is very excited for her teammate, but she also recognizes the qualities of leadership. The sophomore realizes that she will be counted on to lead the team — both on and off the course.

“Being a leader is about picking people up when they’re down, and encouraging them when they’re on the right path to something great, and being happy for them when they achieve their goals,” she said.

Wilberding agrees that Waymire can provide leadership for the team.

“I definitely consider Madison to be a huge leader,” she said. “She pushes me a lot, and I also go to her for advice.”

Waymire and Wilberding are not the only two who are looked upon for guidance.

Freshman Andrea Shine attributes her success to a couple other older teammates.

“I really look up to Carolyn Newhouse and Alana Jones; they keep me motivated through every workout,” she said.

Motivation from knowledgeable and skillful teammates has greatly helped Shine. She has had a nice start to her Hawkeye career, finishing in the top 30 in her first two meets.

“I am influenced by Carolyn and Alana because they are always positive and strong throughout practice,” Shine said.

Newhouse and Jones are known as great leaders. It’s just a matter of getting them to compete at an elite level after they struggled in the first two meets.

Head coach Layne Anderson realizes that he needs his experienced runners to perform at their best. Newhouse and Jones are two Hawkeyes that he is counting on this season.

“It’s very important we need both of them; our team does not have as much depth, so everyone performing well is vital to our team success,” Anderson said.

As one of the few experienced runners on the team, Newhouse knows she is expected to perform well. But when she is struggling, she still enjoys the feeling of helping her teammates through tough situation. She believes that she is ready to take on that role for the team.

“I try to lead by reaching out to everyone,” Newhouse said. “I try to be there for everyone on the team.”