Coming Down the Home Stretch

By: D. Scott Fritchen

Hannah Stewart, the Kansas State fifth-year senior standout on the women's cross country team, isn't in a hurry for her career to end.

But Stewart, a native of Lawrence, Kansas, looks at the schedule and knows that time is running out on a career that appears destined for another memorable performance in the NCAA Midwest Regionals for a second straight year.

"I was literally talking to my mom about (the schedule)," Stewart says. "It's like, 'Oh my gosh.' And it's moving fast. It's sad but I'm taking it all in and enjoying every last second of it."

The plan is to peak at around the Big 12 Championship. And then…

"And then we'll see how far we can go with regionals and hopefully qualify for nationals."

At the 2022 NCAA Regionals, Stewart enjoyed her best postseason performance with a 37^th place finish and a new 6K personal best 20:57.8. That's a time she's steadily building toward this season.

Already this season she won the Bob Timmons Classic (Lawrence, Kansas) with a 5K time of 18:00.3, the fastest K-State time at Rim Rock Farm. Then she finished third in the 5K at the John McNichols Invitational (Terre Haute, Indiana) with a time of 17:29.4.

Gans Creek Classic (Columbia, Missouri) was her most recent race on September 29 and the first 6K course of the season. She led the Wildcats for a third straight meet and finished 20^th with a time of 21:36.3.

"I looked at my time from peaking at regionals last year and I felt a little fitter than I was at the end of last year just because of Coach (Randy) Cole's training," she says. "I had it in my head that I could run faster than I did. Gans Creek was a good stepping stone moving forward.

"You've got to have those races that you gut out so you can get to the next."

Stewart highlights a K-State team that continues to thrive in Cole's second year as head coach. The Wildcats won the Bob Timmons Classic, finished third at the John McNichols Invitational and took fourth at Gans Creek.

While Stewart finished in the top-10 percent of the women competing in the 6K at Gans Creek — she finished 20^th out of 227 runners with her time of 21:36.3 — five other K-State runners finished in the top 50. Senior Cailan Steward recorded a new personal best in 25^th place at 21:43.9, freshman Josephine Wanjiku followed (31^st, 21:51.6), and then sophomores Cecilia Fisher (38^th, 22:05.6) and Grace Meyer (41^st, 22:07.2), and senior Aubry Donley (50^th, 22:18.4). Meyer ran in her first 6K after an ankle injury sidelined her half of last season."

"I've learned a lot in my five years of being here, especially having different coaches who train differently," Stewart says, "so I've learned a lot in terms of listening to how my body responds to things, and I help guide some of the younger girls buy into the K-State culture and just work together for a common goal to be the best."

Stewart and K-State will get their next time to shine at the Panorama Farms Classic in Charlottesville, Virginia at 10:00 a.m. Saturday.

Meanwhile, the Big 12 Championships looms on October 28 in Ames, Iowa.

"We've shown that toward the end of races we're really strong," Stewart says. "That's how Coach Cole has been training us, not necessarily to conserve in the beginning but being smart in the beginning of races and finishing strong at the end. We've definitely utilized that, which has been great for us. We've really honed in on the way Coach has been training us and utilizing us in races. I think it's paying off."

As for what Stewart has learned from this time a year ago?

"Being patient," she says. "That's probably one of the biggest things I've learned. I feel like I've had a lot more control in my races. The last four years I'd kind of get to the cross country race and run until I couldn't run anymore, but now I feel like I'm more under control and know where I'm at in a race, and that comes with patience and knowing at the beginning that I can pick people off by the end.

"I knew I could have a kick but I think it's patience in understanding where my fitness is and having a better grasp of racing itself."

She hopes that might translate to the rest of her team as well.

"I'm just looking forward to the postseason and rolling in and making our mark this year. We have a lot of potential that we've shown so far. We have some good things in store."

Kansas State University Athletics

Players Mentioned

Aubry Donley

Cecilia Fisher

Grace Meyer

Cailan Steward

Hannah Stewart

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