By Bill Leonard, Staff Writer
It’s not until you see a team in action or in practice that youcan see their leader – the one that doesn’t take over on purpose, butjust seems to lead the team in the right direction effortlessly.
Lucky for the San Diego State women’s cross country team enteringthe NCAA West Regional meet at 12:15 p.m. Saturday in Troutdale,Ore., it has one. Her name is Allison Brown.
Moreaffectionately known as “Buffy” by the people around her, Brown willbe leading SDSU into a meet that’s packed with more competition thanthey’ve seen all year.
The Aztecs will need to be at their best as they will be runningagainst teams from Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Washingtonand Oregon. The competition also includes six of the country’s top-30teams, highlighted by top-ranked Stanford.
The one person they won’t have to worry about showing up is thecaptain, who has been near the front all year long.
“In Buffy, you have a captain who finishes in the top five, runsthrough injuries to help the team and makes us feel like we alwayshave just a little more to give out there when we think we’re done,”roommate and teammate Tina Fodor said.
When tested, her teammates agree Brown never seems to reach herlimits for what she is able to do for the team. This led to beingnamed this year’s captain, which is normally reserved for a seniorwho will be on the traveling team.
Her coaches and teammates said when the junior is not pumping themup with positive things, she’s standing behind them telling them toforget the bad things they can’t change.
If there had ever been any question about her heart, it wasanswered at this year’s Mountain West Conference Championships. Afterhurting her quad a couple of weeks before the Championships, Brownhobbled her way to the starting line and, despite the concerns of theteam, was the third Aztec to finish.
“What I look for in a leader, I didn’t necessarily get from thestart with Buffy,” coach Jennifer Nanista said. “She went from beinga very quiet person who said two words to me her whole first year tobeing someone I could count on to help the other girls focus and wantto get better.”
SDSU will be focused by its coach and captain as it will try toearn a bid to this season’s National Meet Nov. 24 in Cedar Falls,Iowa. The top two teams from each of the nine regional meets willautomatically advance. The next four individuals who are not on oneof the two teams will also be invited.
On Monday, Nov. 17, 13 teams will be selected to receive at-largebids. Two additional individuals will also be chosen to compete atthe National Meet based on certain criteria.
The Aztecs will send seven runners to the NCAA West Regionalincluding seniors Marie Nilsson and Kylie Edwards, juniors Brown andTina Fodor, sophomore Christal Cuadra, redshirt freshman ChristianFairing and freshman Sara Cates.
