The Taylor women’s cross country team, the No. 1 Maddawgs, traveled to Tallahassee for the Florida State Seminole Invite on Sept. 26.
The Maddawgs placed seventh overall with an average time of 22:08 against Division I schools, including Florida State University, Louisiana State University and the University of Georgia.
Out of 351 runners, sophomore Jaynie Halterman came in fourth place with a time of 20:04, trailing a pair of LSU runners and an FSU runner by just a few seconds.
Halterman also reset the NAIA record for the fourth time, breaking her previous record by 20 seconds.
Halterman said the race was a challenge. Her competitors pushed her hard and conditions did not make it an easy race. She said it was likely the hardest competition she will face all season.
“My competition was really strong,” she said. “It was a great opportunity to race really well and really fast, and so I was grateful for that.”
Not only were the Maddawgs racing against DI schools, but there were also several obstacles to face. The team drove 13 hours straight to FSU, and Halterman said traveling was hard on the body.
In addition, the race was early in the morning. Humidity and thunderstorms were also considerable factors, along with unfamiliar terrain.
But head coach Quinn White knew that as long as they could stick to their philosophy of showing up and being the best they can that day, the Maddawgs would compete.
“We have a philosophy of practicing like we race and race like we practice, and we go into every race as just an opportunity to use our gift,” White said. “We just go out and do our best to compete well, run with joy, run with love and have fun.”
The Maddawgs will return to the FSU course for the NAIA National Championships on Nov. 21, which White said is a main reason they made the hefty trip down to Sunshine State.
“We went down there for two reasons: one, that’s our national course, so we wanted to get experience on the course,” he said. “And two, we wanted to run teams better than us, to push us and see how it could do.”
After visiting the FSU course, Halterman said she feels much more confident because she not only knows what to expect, but also what she needs to work up as nationals inch closer.
The team has just three remaining meets before nationals and Halterman said the team is driven. She hopes to encourage her teammates and help them run to the best of their abilities.
“The big thing with cross-country is team and our unity in that,” Halterman said. “So really just focusing on that and trying to love the sport and love the opportunity.”
Despite challenging conditions and unknown territory, the team persevered and got their result. But as No. 1, the Maddawgs consider it a job not finished.
The women are humble and hungry, Halterman said. They did well, but they are prepared to exceed expectations and continue working toward a national title, she said.
“It’s all about the end, how we finish,” White said. “Don’t get me wrong, the journey is vital, but all of that sets us up for how we’re going to hopefully compete at the end, and our goal is to compete for a national title.”
The Maddawgs continue their stride at the TU XC Farm on Oct. 10 for the Ray Bullock Invitational, where they will compete against teams including No. 5 Indiana Wesleyan and No. 10 Marian.
