Head Coach Kori Stoffregen refuses to use the word “rebuild” to describe any of his teams. This season is no different, but the Tigers will need to replace last year’s senior class.
DePauw lost six of their seven top runners to graduation, including Claudia Monnett, who qualified for the National Championships her junior and senior seasons.
“When you have six girls dominate for most of their career, it’s going to be a very, very different team,” said Stoffregen.
Regardless of how the Tigers fare in Conference, the season will be an indicator of what the fairly young program will look like over the next few years.
Senior captains Rachel Higson and Andrea Nunez-Garcia are more than capable of leading a team that rely on a sophomore-heavy class. Junior Gabby Coffing will also be returning after helping the Tigers place in the Top 10 of last year’s Regional.
Key Losses: Claudia Monnett, Lois Miller, Emma MacAnally, Becca Conley, Grace Cook, Kendall Weinert
What to Watch For: The Tigers will be getting a shot in the arm from senior transfer Megan Hennessey, who brings varsity experience from Saint Joseph College after the school closed at semester’s end last spring amid financial issues.
Best Case Scenario: The younger runners follow Higson and Nunez-Garcia’s lead and see constant improvement throughout the year. The Tigers finish strong at conference and are left with a strong core for next season.
Worst Case Scenario: The team struggles to find consistency behind Higson and Nunez-Garcia. The absence of last year’s seniors is felt all season long.