Aug. 16, 2005

ROMEOVILLE - First-year Lewis University cross country head coach Rick Wemple is confident that the 2005 Flyer women will be a better, more competitive group than in recent years.

"We have a core group of athletes who I think will help us be stronger than we were in 2004," said Wemple, a former Yale University All-American.

"However, we must avoid injuries because, while we have some quality runners, we don't have any depth. An injury to one key individual would hamper us."

Five athletes return from last season's team. Wemple sees sophomore Becky Herbert, whose race at last year's Great Lakes Valley Conference Championship was cut short due to illness, as the Flyers' top runner at the outset of the season, with sophomore Terran Wertz , who led the squad at the GLVC Championship (23rd) and the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Regional (59th), close behind.

"Becky is probably our No. 1, but Terran has the talent to be right up there as well," Wemple said.

Also returning are juniors Juliann Szablewski and Amanda Hammond and sophomore Theresa Dexl. The Flyers have added junior Tenleigh Ayers, a transfer from Elizabethtown (Pa.) College who originally is from the Chicagoland area; sophomore Tiffany Meyers, a transfer from Northern Illinois University; and freshmen Elizabeth Call and Elisabeth Schei.

"Right now I think Juliann, Theresa, Tenleigh and Tiffany could provide us with a solid three through six," Wemple said.

Wemple has short-term and long-term goals for the Flyers.

"This season we want to get into the top half of the standings at the GLVC Championship, and I think that's attainable," Wemple said. "Looking ahead, I believe eventually we can build a national-class program. I want to concentrate on increasing the number of athletes in the program. We want to attract some good recruits to Lewis to complement the talent we already have."