Oct. 6, 2006

EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State women's cross country team has qualified for the NCAA Championships the past five-consecutive seasons. Senior Michelle Rafferty has been along for the ride the past three, and she is determined to see her fourth-straight and the program's sixth-straight national meet.

Rafferty was MSU's top-finisher a year ago at the NCAA Regional. In 2004, she finished 16th overall at the Great Lakes Regional, earning all-regional accolades. Thus far in 2006, Rafferty has turned in two second-place performances (finishing both races second only to Spartan teammate Alissa McKaig) and registered an 11th-place finish at the Roy Griak Invitational, a nationally toted meet that featured 288 runners. Rafferty took a moment to reflect on the Spartan program.

Q: What can you say about the cross country program at Michigan State:
A: I am really proud of our distance program at Michigan State. I am proud to say that I run distance here. We have made it to nationals the past five years in a row and only 30 teams a year can say that they made it to the national meet. That's impressive when you think about it. I think our goal is definitely getting there, but for this year our main focus is to be better than last year. We didn't have as good of a race as we should have and we all know our team's potential.

Q: The coaching staff seems very pleased with the caliber of this year's group, how do you perceive the team?
A: We just got a transfer, Alissa McKaig (from Baylor), and she has been so strong the last couple of meets. She is a very hard worker and we are lucky to have her on the team. Nicole Bush red-shirted last year, but had a great track season and she always runs well when it matters. Katie Kelly is another person that always performs well in big meets and works hard. The only downfall for our team right now is that we found out we lost Lisa Senakiewich to a stress fracture. That will hurt, but I think we have underclassmen that can step up.

Q: You have had success and the individual accolades that go with that, what do you want to accomplish in your senior year?
A: I really want our team to make it to nationals and just have an awesome race - to place the highest that we ever have. I want our team to run well at the Big Ten and regional race, I know the talent is there.

Q: As runners, how do you motivate each other?
A: It starts at practice. Everyone holds each other accountable. If you are falling off a little, someone is there to say `Come on, you can do it.' We practice hard and do the same in workouts and I think that mentality carries over to the races. We have to run smart and run off of each other. Coach Drenth really emphasizes running smart and not running outside of yourself in the first half of the race. Everyone is very competitive too.

Q: As a senior, what do you and other upperclassman do to bring in the new wave of Spartans?
A: We try to mix it up and run with different groups. There is just this unspoken bond that happens. They see the way we do things and how much pride we take in Michigan State. I think the best leaders lead by example, you don't necessarily have to say it. Also, getting to know people when you are traveling is huge. That's usually the time the team bonds the most outside of the course.

Q: You also compete in distance events in track, what advantages does that have and what kind of carry-over is there from sport-to-sport?
A: Definitely running distance in track and running cross country gives you an advantage - opposed to if an 800-meter runner goes to run cross country. You are used to the longer distances, pacing yourself and getting into a rhythm. A lot of it is strategy, knowing how hard you can go out and still have something left in the tank at the end.

Q: What are your plans after graduation?
A: I am an education major, and I have my internship next fall. I would like to teach, hopefully at the collegiate or graduate level. My degree is actually focused in English and Spanish, but I think I would really like to teach English literature.