Nov. 17, 2016
Event: NCAA Cross Country Nationals
Date: Saturday, Nov. 19
Site: LaVern Gibson Cross Country Course in Terre Haute, Ind.
Host: Indiana State
Start times: Women’s – 10 a.m. l Men’s – 11 a.m. (CT)
Live Results: HERE
Full List of Entrants: HERE
Championship Central: HERE
Meet History and Records: HERE
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By David Dawson
vucommodores.com
As she heads into the biggest race of the season, Vanderbilt standout Sara Tsai isn’t putting any expectations on herself. But she isn’t putting any limits on herself, either.
Tsai, a sophomore from Eugene, Oregon, says she simply wants to perform her best and let the results speak for themselves at this weekend’s NCAA Championships in Terre Haute, Ind.
Tsai, a member of the All-SEC Second Team, earned her spot at the national meet with an at-large bid from the NCAA TF/XC Committee last week.
“I am really just looking at this as a opportunity to go out there, race hard and just take in the experience of being in this position,” said Tsai, who paced the Commodores in every race this season. “Obviously, I will be running against a great field. But I don’t look at it with fear; I just look at it with excitement.”
Tsai’s bid to nationals means that the Commodores will have representation at the Championships for the seventh straight year. Prior to this season, the Commodores had qualified as a team in each of the past five years, and they had one individual qualifier the season prior to that.
“Vanderbilt representation at the NCAA Championships is what we were building toward when I got here 11 seasons ago,” said Keith. “Having been there just once (prior to the current seven-year streak), we knew we wanted to set a high standard. Now that’s our challenge and goal every year.”
The experience of competing at nationals might mean more to Tsai than any other runner in the field. Two weeks ago, she didn’t even think she would be in the race.
After finishing sixth at the NCAA South Regional — and narrowly missing an automatic bid to the Championships — Tsai believed her season was over. It was a bitter pill to swallow.
“When the race was over, I immediately thought that I hadn’t made it,” said Tsai. “I counted the girls who finished ahead of me. I just kept thinking that the memory of that girl passing me (near the end of the race) was going to haunt me.”
But Tsai’s disappointment didn’t last long. The news became official two days later that she had received a bid.
“Making nationals is just the cherry on top of the ice cream,” said Tsai. “I am so excited and so honored to be going.”
Keith said he sensed during the preseason that Tsai might be in line for a big season. And she certainly proved him right.
“Sara had a nice, consistent and healthy buildup over the summer,” said Keith, “so we kind of thought that there would be a jump in performance this fall. Also, I think her classmate, (All-American) Caroline Pietrzyk, was giving Sara some good advice this fall as well.”
Vanderbilt assistant coach Rebekah Smeltzer said she expects even bigger and better things for Tsai in the years ahead.
“I think that we are just seeing the beginning of what Sara is capable of,” said Smeltzer. “She learned a lot last year and went into the summer with a sense of purpose. She took ownership of her training. She is an incredibly hardworking and disciplined student athlete. And on top of that she doesn’t put limits on herself.”
As would be expected of a cross country runner, Tsai is able to take things in stride, even when it comes to something as monumental as the NCAA Championships.
“Really, I am just looking forward to seeing where I stack up,” she said. “When the season started, I didn’t necessarily think I would even be in this position, but as the year went along, I think I started to realize that I had the potential to do it. So, it’s really exciting to make it. It’s going to be fun.”
