The Hopkins women’s cross country team recently captured its third straight NCAA National Championship on Nov. 22. The runners who participated in the race included a talented array of Lady Jays, featuring seniors Ashley Murphy and Francis Loeb; juniors Sophia Meehan, Caroline Powers and Hannah Oneda; sophomore Tess Meehan; and freshman Bridget Gottlieb. Sophia Meehan, the top runner for the Lady Jays, came in sixth place overall at the national championship and paced the Lady Jays to yet another first place finish.
As a result of her outstanding performance in the race and the consistent dedication and leadership she has provided for the team this season, Sophia Meehan earned the honor of The News-Letter Athlete of the Week. The star junior runner kindly answered some questions for The News-Letter, discussing her experience of winning a national championship with such a gifted team.
The News-Letter: What was the day of the championship race like for the team?
Sophia Meehan: The day of the championship was both exciting and nerve-racking. We all knew we had a great chance of winning, but with so many competitive teams, we really all had to run our best to put it together and win again.
N-L: What is the biggest difference you see between this championship and the previous two?
SM: The biggest difference this year and last year was definitely the level of competition. So many teams had improved over the past year that at the race this year, there wasn't much room for mistakes or an off day.
N-L: What made this year's team special?
SM: What made this team so special was the addition of many new runners we had on the varsity team. Only three scorers and four team members from last years championship team returned this year. Bridget Gottlieb, Caroline Powers and I did not compete the previous year. Because Frances Loeb and Hannah Oneda had been out most of the year, it was a really amazing experience to see the team rebuild itself this season and watch so many of my teammates really step up in order to win a third title.
N-L: What was different about this season personally for you?
SM: For me personally, I had a very different experience from previous years, because I had the honor to be able to lead the team this season. It was a nice feeling to finally feel like I wasn't struggling just to hang onto the varsity pack and instead, help to pace workouts and whatnot.
N-L: Who is your favorite Olympic runner and why?
SM: Allyson Felix is my favorite Olympic athlete. She is incredibly fast, a beautiful racer and seems to be a gracious competitor.
N-L: What is your favorite part about attending Hopkins?
SM: My favorite part of attending Hopkins is obviously being a member of the cross country team. My teammates are my best friends, and running is one of my favorite activities.
Head Coach Bobby Van Allen and the team will head into the offseason with high hopes and expectations for the 2015 fall campaign. The Lady Jays will enter next season as defending champions for the third time in as many years.
