JR Rhianwedd Price (4:09 1500; 24th NCAA XC ’14)

JR Marta Freitas (4:10 1500; 9:47 3K)

JR Lisa Ziegler (9:53 3K; 16:43 5K; 21st South XC '14)

SR Cornelia Griesche (9:35 3K; 16:38 5K; 22nd South XC '14)

FR Mia Meydrich (17:02 5K)

The Mississippi State Bulldogs saw a great amount of improvement last fall with an individual All American finish in Rhianwedd Price as well as the highest SEC Conference finish in school history. And with a standout track season behind them, the Lady Bulldogs should have a strong base heading into the fall cross country season.  

 

The most notable finish for the Mississippi State Bulldogs came from Rhianwedd Price who out-kicked 2014 NCAA Champion Shelby Houlihan for the NCAA 1500m title at Hayward Field. Price chased down Houlihan in a personal best mark of 4:09, which stands as the No. 2 fastest mark in school history. Off the track, Price’s cross country talent proved deadly during the 2014 season when she finished 24th overall at the NCAA Championships in Terre Haute. Although she competed alone as an individual, Price should have a stronger pack behind her heading into the fall. 

 

Both Lisa Ziegler and Cornelia Griesche should return to improve upon their 21st and 22nd South Region finishes from last fall. Ziegler has not competed since the 2014 fall season, but returns as a the third-fastest 5K runner in Mississippi State school history. Griesche has a solid spring under her belt with personal bests in the 1500m (4:25), 5K (16:38), and steeplechase (9:57) to her name. The German most recently finished fifth overall at Germany’s national championships on July 26. 

 

Emerging star Marta Freitas made an immediate impact in the spring after finishing second in the 1500m at the NCAA East Preliminaries in a new personal best of 4:13. She continued to compete in the NCAA final with Price, but got tripped up and finished 12th overall. This summer she improved upon her personal best with a 4:10 1500m on July 12. 

 

Redshirt freshman Mia Meydrich should also make an impact in her first cross country season this fall after clocking a 17:02 in the 5K at the SEC Championships. She also earned a 4:35 personal best in the 1500m at the Border Clash. 

 

With an increasingly mature and growing squad, the Mississippi State Bulldogs should continue to improve upon the building phase of 2014 with their first NCAA Championship team berth in 2015.