Thursday, October 9, 1997
Running their course
By Jared Hummel
Daily Bruin Contributor
She is seldom mentioned first when UCLA women’s cross-country is
discussed. Her name is not well known in the cross-country
community. She is, however, the most consistent runner on the squad
and the unsung leader.
Senior Katherina Kechris is an integral piece of UCLA head coach
Eric Peterson’s puzzle. A puzzle, which if put together this
season, can result in the first NCAA Championships berth since
1988.
Kechris is the only senior on a team of mostly sophomores. Her
experience and leadership spearheads a crew Peterson believes "can
realistically expect to qualify for the national
championships."
Coming out of high school four years ago, her path was not yet
determined. Kechris did not know if she’d even be running
competitively at UCLA.
"My first year I had a rough time," she said. "I didn’t come out
of high school well recruited."
Growing up in a family that was far more concerned with test
scores than finish times, Kechris excelled on both counts. She
earned first-team Academic All-Pacific 10 honors with a 3.91 GPA in
applied mathematics, the highest of any UCLA athlete.
Kechris prides herself is succeeding both on the field and in
the classroom but makes a distinction between the two.
"Academic competitiveness is different because in running
there’s someone right next to you … but the two helped each
other," Kechris said.
Running behind Kim Mortensen, one of the top distance runners in
the nation, Kechris often finds herself hidden in the shadows.
However, a recent back injury has sidelined Mortensen and boosted
Kechris into the No. 1 spot.
Nobody understands the importance of Kechris’ efforts better
than Peterson.
"Katherina Kechris, the only senior on the team, is coming, and
that is a huge, huge asset to this team," he said.
Peterson is most impressed with Kechris’ work ethic.
"Kechris is the most improved athlete that I’ve ever worked
with," Peterson said, "when you consider the level of runner she
was when she entered UCLA four years ago, to the level of runner
that she’s become."
With Mortensen’s absence, Kechris realizes her role as the
leader of this team.
"I feel totally comfortable with it … I know what to expect,"
Kechris said. "There’s a pressure to it, but it makes you feel
important."
She is a quiet person who lets her performance in competition do
the talking. In track last spring, Kechris qualified for the NCAA
Outdoor Championships in the 3,000 meter, placing 12th, and
finishing third at the Pac-10 meet in both the 3,000 and the 5,000
meter.
This season she turned out impressive performances at the Aztec
Invite, finishing in fifth place, and at the prestigious Stanford
Invite, Kechris placed 15th.
As can be expected, with increased success comes boosted
confidence. Kechris is very optimistic about her individual
performance and, more importantly to herself, that of her team.
In discussing UCLA’s chances against Pac-10 teams such as No.
1-ranked Stanford and No.7-ranked Oregon, she said, "(They) have
been consistent, but they are beatable."
If there is one attribute which sets Kechris apart from the
others, it is her steadfast performance.
"I feel that I need to lead by being consistent," Kechris said.
"I think it’s important for the freshmen to see someone who’s
consistent."
This consistency is what Peterson and the rest of the team have
come to depend on contributing – in no small part – to the success
of this team.
After her breakthrough track season last spring, Kechris has
been steadily improving from week to week. What can this be
attributed to?
"This summer was the most I’ve ever trained … I was ready to
train at a higher level," Kechris said. "I don’t know if it’s that
I was running out of time and it just hit me or what."
Mortensen’s status for Saturday’s NCAA Championship Preview meet
is doubtful. Therefore, it’s up to Kechris to once again hold the
reins and lead the team through a schedule which features a
progressively more competitive field of teams from one week to the
next.