The Shawnee State Women’s Cross Country Team is looking forward to what could be the most successful team in school history.  The Bears who got a preseason ranking of 22^nd returns four of its top seven runners from last year’s squad.  Along with the addition of ten freshmen to the program the Bears are looking for its first ever trip to the NAIA National Championships.

Leading the Bears this season are All-Americans Lisa Davies (Homeworth, OH) and Star Emmert (Wellston, OH).  Davies, who recorded Shawnee State’s fastest time of 18:11 last season, became SSU’s second All-American as she finished 19^th at the NAIA National Championships.  Emmert rejoins the squad after taking a red-shirt last season to concentrate on her studies.  The two are joined by senior Heather Waugh (New Boston, OH), junior Michelle Hilborn (Painesville, OH), and sophomore Andrea Jackson (Akron, OH) who consistently ran in the top five last season.  Also returning is junior Lisa Franzen (Waverly, OH).    

Ten freshmen appear on the Shawnee State roster including Sara Armstrong (Sylvania, OH), Kala Conn (Bainbridge, OH), Brittney LiPira (Thornville, OH), Brianna McCauley  (Canton, OH), Laura Napier (Mansfield, OH), Meghan Pachuta (Hilliard, OH), Amanda Porter (Commercial Point, OH), Torey Predmore (Willard, OH), Chariss Spencer (Chillicothe, OH), Amy Stankiewicz (Millersburg, OH).  McCauley placed 55^th at the Division I State Meet with a time of 19:41 and Porter finished 25^th at the Division I Regional Meet with a time of 20:00. 

The Bears face a competitive schedule which begins with the Shawnee State Invitational on September 5^th.  The schedule also included the Friendship Invitational, Greater Louisville Classic, All-Ohio Invitational, Aquinas Invitational, the AMC Championships at Cleveland, OH, and the NAIA National Championships at Kenosha, WI. 

2007 Outlook