Sophomore leads Tiger women to Pre-Nationals win
By Justin Feil, Assistant Sports Editor
When Princeton University women’s cross country coach Peter Farrell sat down with Liz Costello to go over her goals for the season, he noted her improvement since last year.
”Last year as a freshman at this point, she was completely lost, drifting in and out of workouts,” Farrell said. “I said, you’re 150 percent better than last year.
”She looked at me, looked at the list of goals, and just crossed them out and wrote ‘150 percent better than last year.’ She’s already there.”
Costello ran 20:25.1 to finish seventh overall and lead the Tiger women to the “White Race” team title at the NCAA Pre-National Championships in Terre Haute, Ind., Saturday. Behind Costello was fellow sophomore Christy Johnson in 10th place. Freshmen Sarah Cummings was 38th and Ashley Higginson was 46th. Megan Brandeland was 48th, Jolee VanLeuven was 49th and team captain Caitlin McTague was 54th.
”It’s a big deal, but that’s what we’re training for,” Costello said. “We recognize the talent we have. At same time, we have to keep moving forward. We know other teams will be stronger in a month.
”I think we’re all good about knowing that’s good. We took the moment to enjoy it and we’ll be back to do a workout on the home course tomorrow.”
A year ago, Costello was 135th in 21:59.1 on the same Pre-Nationals course. She did not even score for Princeton, which finished ninth.
”I call it a resurrection,” said the Strafford, Pa. resident. “That’s been my term. My best race last year was at Paul Short. After that, I still raced OK, but I was lost. I was running. I wouldn’t say I was racing. There’s no other way to put it. I was lost. I couldn’t find anything to really hold on to and push forward with. I changed up my training this year.
”I’ve adapted to the college level training better and I know how I have to train better. I learned what my options are. I’ve learned what type of runner I am.”
Costello and Princeton have been on a steady climb since the season began. They won the Fordham Invitational and followed it with a sweep of the Harvard-Yale-Princeton meet. They also won the Paul Short Invitational before their most impressive showing of the season — topping a competitive field for a win at the Pre-Nationals.
Princeton had the third best average time overall, behind only Stanford and Florida State. And the Tigers didn’t think they tactically ran their smartest race.
”We didn’t run real well,” Farrell said. “I can’t take anything away from Johnson and Costello. What a step up for those two girls to be sophomores running with the best in the country. You can’t in any way slight their performance. But we should have our whole team within 30 seconds of them. That’s the mark of a truly great program.
”That’s the next goal — to put at least through five and hopefully seven — 30 or 35 seconds behind them. Then you can beat Florida State. We were third overall. Then we could beat Florida State. Stanford is tough.”
Princeton’s immediate sights are on repeating as Heptagonals champions. The Tigers defend their title next Friday at Van Cortlandt Park in New York City.
”It’s odd to go in as the heavy favorite,” Farrell said. “It’s nice though for a change. The Heps is still the Heps. Our kids get up for it. They get excited and want to show their stuff in the league.”
The Tigers made a national statement Saturday as Costello and Johnson got them off to a blazing start. They both went through the first mile in 5:17. It was a break from the pre-race plan that called for a 5:28 mile, but the course was unusually dry, hard and fast which made for fast times. They were still in the lead pack halfway through the 6,000-meter course.
”Being at the front was new compared to last year,” Costello said. “It shouldn’t be such a surprise. That’s what you train to do. It was a little surprising at the beginning of the race. But having each other there helped us be more comfortable. I know we’re really strong. You train to win.”
Costello’s training didn’t go as expected in the fall last year as she adjusted to her first year of college. She enjoyed good indoor and outdoor track and field seasons that boosted her confidence coming into her second cross country season. She was anxious to put behind her last year’s struggles.
”I was scared this cross country season would go as poorly as last season,” she said. “That disappointment was enough to scare me into harder training this summer.”
Added Farrell: “Costello is a talented, competitive young lady, as they all are. But she has a nose for racing. I haven’t had to teach her anything about racing. A lot of other athletes just want to run.”
It helps Costello to have a group of accomplished runners surrounding her and pushing her every day in practice. Training together has helped bring the Tigers to a new level.
”There’s a great camaraderie on the team,” Farrell said. “There’s terrific support on the team. They really pull for each other. I’ve always felt a happier group is a more competitive group, as long as they’re competitors to begin with.
”These kids are true competitors. Then you have what you want. You have a true team dynamic.”
The talent and team dynamics have helped push Princeton into a contending spot for the national title. The Tigers don’t set their national goals when they begin the season. They prefer to wait until they get closer to the date. The Mid-Atlantic Regionals are Nov. 10 and the NCAA Championships are Nov. 19. The goals might be a little bigger now.
Said Farrell, “We say, when we get there, we’ll see where we are. Suddenly, they’re a lot higher than we thought they were going to be.”
Costello’s development this year certainly has helped. Her training has been consistent and that has given her confidence going into races. Performances like her top-10 finish at Pre-Nationals only serve to reassure how far she has come since last year.
”I must be 150 percent better,” she said. “But even if I said that was a goal, I couldn’t have comprehended it happening. I couldn’t have pictured myself doing this because of how much stronger I’ve gotten since last year.”