LAKEWOOD, CO – A shift in belief has the Colorado Christian women's cross country team looking towards big things in 2019.

Over the course of the cross country season then into the track and field campaign last year, the runners improved and showed they haven't reached their potential yet. There is a confidence in each runner that they will continue to improve and potentially find themselves racing late in the season.

"We love chartable improvement and last year every girl in the top five got personal records during the track season and that momentum coming out of the spring is something we want to see carried into the fall," said head coach Jon Poag. "With that sort of confidence and ability to perform at the most important times; it will be an exciting season."

While the Cougars lost all-region performer Mandee Middleton to graduation, there's plenty of fast times and talent returning. Kayla Hanson is poised to be a steady top harrier throughout the season while fellow senior Christina Hamerly is ready to finish her collegiate career with great success. Michaela Marcy is another veteran who is looking to complete her time in Cougar uniform with solid results.

Junior Hannah Causey is coming off a season when she was a steady scorer and looking to improve and aid the squad to another level of success. A pair of sophomores will also factor significantly into the team's success as Ana Muehlbauer and Erin Straubel have the confidence and ability score on a consistent basis.

"I am cautiously optimistic. You are super excited because on paper because you don't have to 'talk yourself' into the fact that you could achieve a berth into nationals. It is actually a possibility. It adds up that it could happen. If we do get into that meet it will be about execution and staying healthy. No one in our region is going to hand you a spot into nationals. It will be the most challenging thing but we can do it," Poag said.

Aiding in that optimism are newcomers Rachel Lopez, who had significant achievements at CSU-Pueblo, and a handful of freshman who will push to be significant runners on the course throughout 2019.