SE: K-State Cross Country Ready to Impress at Big 12 Championships
Oct 22, 2020 | Cross Country, Sports Extra
By: Austin Siegel
The dogs just always seem to show up.
At K-State Cross Country's first meet of the season, a dog ran onto the course in Lawrence and decided to stick with the Wildcats throughout the race, instead of Kansas or Iowa State.
"Then these people came by our practice walking a dog and it stayed with us for a while. At our team photoshoot we had another lady come by with a dog," Kerby Depenbusch said. "I don't know if that tells you something."
If you're looking for evidence that dogs are a good judge of character, K-State Cross Country is here to help.
Following a summer when they weren't even sure they would have a season, the Wildcats have made the most of a compressed schedule in 2020. A trio of strong performances have K-State trending in the right direction with the Big 12 Championships coming up next weekend.
"We knew we were a lot stronger and had a lot more depth than last year," Jaybe Shufelberger said. "But it's one of those things where you don't really get to see it until you compete."
Since their first meet of the season only featured two other schools, the Wildcats finally had the opportunity to test themselves on a national level with a pair of meets in Oklahoma this month.
At the Cowboy Jamboree in Stillwater, both the men and women's team took third place in a field that included more than a dozen schools, finishing ahead of Kansas, Baylor, Texas Tech and Oklahoma.
Depenbusch said that 2020 has been an opportunity for him to enjoy running again, after he battled performance anxiety during his redshirt freshman season with the Wildcats.
After working with a sports psychologist and turning to his family and teammates for support, Depenbusch has enjoyed a resurgent season.
"I'm having fun with it and actually able to race instead of just get through it," he said. "I'm able to compete."
Following a 10th-place finish at the first meet of the season, Depenbusch posted a personal best at the Cowboy Jamboree with a 25:01.5 split to lead the men's side in the 8K.
He was even quicker a week later, leading the Wildcats to a top-five team finish at an OSU Invite that included reigning NCAA champion BYU and national runner-up Northern Arizona.
Depenbusch's strong showing was huge for a K-State team down one of their top runners in Cooper Schroeder.
K-State also had to deal with windy conditions on the course, bringing an element of strategy to the meet as the Wildcats looked to coast behind runners from other schools.
That put Depenbusch right in his comfort zone.
"For me, the worse conditions the better. I love it," he said. "If it's snowing, raining or the wind is 50 miles per hour, I just feel like everyone hates it more than I do, so I started trying to use it to my advantage."
Shufelberger said the shortened season has forced every Wildcat runner to find their strengths a lot faster. The 2019 All-Big 12 runner paced the women's side at both meets in Oklahoma.
"These last couple weeks have been super motivating as we go into Big 12s," Shufelberger said. "I feel like we have a lot of potential there."
Shufelberger will be running in her backyard when the Topeka native returns to Lawrence for the conference meet. She has raced on the course since high school and is no stranger to dealing with the hills and elevation of Northeast Kansas.
"Those hills can be a big factor and make or break your race," Shufelberger said. "That can be a big mental barrier, knowing what you have coming up. You just can't let it get in your head."
The Wildcats should have an advantage after opening their season at Rim Rock Farm, but Depenbusch said he is expecting some changes to the course to add even more elevation.
That shouldn't be a problem for Shufelberger.
The sophomore grabbed a fourth-place individual finish at the Cowboy Jamboree, working her way up through the field and picking off runners with a 21:43.1 pace.
She used the same strategy to lead the Wildcats to a top-five team finish at the OSU Invite.
With the last race of the season on deck for K-State, Depenbusch is preparing for a return to Lawrence and a Big 12 field where he said the Wildcats have their eye on a top-four finish.
After taking down Kansas in a pair of meets, his goal is to make it a clean sweep this season.
"They're going to come to Big 12s ready to beat us," Depenbusch. "That's what we've got to focus on."
While K-State has racked up a trio of finishes in the top half of meets this season, Shufelberger said it's the chance to compete at all in 2020 that's fueled the Wildcats through every race.
At the Big 12 Championships, they have one last opportunity to make it count.
"Coming into the season not even expecting to be able to race, I think every time my teammates and I step on that line, we're so much more grateful," Shufelberger said. "It just makes us value it so much more and give it all we've got."
The dogs just always seem to show up.
At K-State Cross Country's first meet of the season, a dog ran onto the course in Lawrence and decided to stick with the Wildcats throughout the race, instead of Kansas or Iowa State.
"Then these people came by our practice walking a dog and it stayed with us for a while. At our team photoshoot we had another lady come by with a dog," Kerby Depenbusch said. "I don't know if that tells you something."
If you're looking for evidence that dogs are a good judge of character, K-State Cross Country is here to help.
Squad lookin' good 🎥📸#KStateXC pic.twitter.com/QJ57qQnjv8
— K-State Track (@KStateTFXC) October 15, 2020
Following a summer when they weren't even sure they would have a season, the Wildcats have made the most of a compressed schedule in 2020. A trio of strong performances have K-State trending in the right direction with the Big 12 Championships coming up next weekend.
"We knew we were a lot stronger and had a lot more depth than last year," Jaybe Shufelberger said. "But it's one of those things where you don't really get to see it until you compete."
Since their first meet of the season only featured two other schools, the Wildcats finally had the opportunity to test themselves on a national level with a pair of meets in Oklahoma this month.
At the Cowboy Jamboree in Stillwater, both the men and women's team took third place in a field that included more than a dozen schools, finishing ahead of Kansas, Baylor, Texas Tech and Oklahoma.
Depenbusch said that 2020 has been an opportunity for him to enjoy running again, after he battled performance anxiety during his redshirt freshman season with the Wildcats.
After working with a sports psychologist and turning to his family and teammates for support, Depenbusch has enjoyed a resurgent season.
"I'm having fun with it and actually able to race instead of just get through it," he said. "I'm able to compete."
Following a 10th-place finish at the first meet of the season, Depenbusch posted a personal best at the Cowboy Jamboree with a 25:01.5 split to lead the men's side in the 8K.
He was even quicker a week later, leading the Wildcats to a top-five team finish at an OSU Invite that included reigning NCAA champion BYU and national runner-up Northern Arizona.
Depenbusch's strong showing was huge for a K-State team down one of their top runners in Cooper Schroeder.
K-State also had to deal with windy conditions on the course, bringing an element of strategy to the meet as the Wildcats looked to coast behind runners from other schools.
That put Depenbusch right in his comfort zone.
"For me, the worse conditions the better. I love it," he said. "If it's snowing, raining or the wind is 50 miles per hour, I just feel like everyone hates it more than I do, so I started trying to use it to my advantage."
Shufelberger said the shortened season has forced every Wildcat runner to find their strengths a lot faster. The 2019 All-Big 12 runner paced the women's side at both meets in Oklahoma.
"These last couple weeks have been super motivating as we go into Big 12s," Shufelberger said. "I feel like we have a lot of potential there."
Shufelberger will be running in her backyard when the Topeka native returns to Lawrence for the conference meet. She has raced on the course since high school and is no stranger to dealing with the hills and elevation of Northeast Kansas.
"Those hills can be a big factor and make or break your race," Shufelberger said. "That can be a big mental barrier, knowing what you have coming up. You just can't let it get in your head."
The Wildcats should have an advantage after opening their season at Rim Rock Farm, but Depenbusch said he is expecting some changes to the course to add even more elevation.
That shouldn't be a problem for Shufelberger.
The sophomore grabbed a fourth-place individual finish at the Cowboy Jamboree, working her way up through the field and picking off runners with a 21:43.1 pace.
She used the same strategy to lead the Wildcats to a top-five team finish at the OSU Invite.
With the last race of the season on deck for K-State, Depenbusch is preparing for a return to Lawrence and a Big 12 field where he said the Wildcats have their eye on a top-four finish.
🏃♀️ The work never stops 🏃♀️#KStateXC pic.twitter.com/T8I4WBulzX
— K-State Track (@KStateTFXC) September 30, 2020
After taking down Kansas in a pair of meets, his goal is to make it a clean sweep this season.
"They're going to come to Big 12s ready to beat us," Depenbusch. "That's what we've got to focus on."
While K-State has racked up a trio of finishes in the top half of meets this season, Shufelberger said it's the chance to compete at all in 2020 that's fueled the Wildcats through every race.
At the Big 12 Championships, they have one last opportunity to make it count.
"Coming into the season not even expecting to be able to race, I think every time my teammates and I step on that line, we're so much more grateful," Shufelberger said. "It just makes us value it so much more and give it all we've got."
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