Tuesday, November 12, 2002
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

UNLV's Zarndt on course for big finish

Cross country runner striving for national meet

By JEFF WOLLARD
REVIEW-JOURNAL

Jessica Zarndt has run through her share of hoops over the course of her cross country career.

It's no secret that the UNLV distance program has spent the last three years in turmoil. Controversy and several coaching changes have chased many runners away, but not Zarndt. The Las Vegas native, a Cheyenne High School graduate, will compete in the NCAA West Regional at Palo Alto, Calif., on Saturday with one last chance to put her name in the record books.

Only two Rebels -- Angie Fortner (now Angie Bestwick) in 1998 and Katie Barto in 2000 -- have ever qualified for the national meet, but Zarndt, a senior, proved she has a legitimate shot of joining that elite group when she finished seventh at the Mountain West Conference Championships on Nov. 1.

"I really want to qualify for nationals," said Zarndt, who must be among the top four individual finishers Saturday to advance. "My goal is to secure a spot by finishing ahead of as many people as I can. I plan to leave it all on the course and have my best race ever."

To do that, she'll have to repeat the performance she put on at the league meet. Top-ranked Brigham Young dominated the race and nearly placed all nine of its runners ahead of the pack. But as the leaders approached the finish line, Zarndt's red jersey broke up a string of blue uniforms. She made a pass with 200 meters remaining and finished the 6-kilometer course in 21 minutes, 42.60 seconds to become the only non-BYU runner to finish in the top 10. The finish earned her All-Conference honors.

"I kind of had an idea it might be just me and them, and I always wanted to break up their 15 (points)" she said of her effort to spoil the Cougars' sweep. "I was really excited to finish up there. Even the BYU coach had nice things to say."

Zarndt, who began her collegiate career at UNR before joining the Rebels for her junior year, said she has developed a strategy for defeating the odds.

"During the last few years, I've learned to kind of run just for myself," she said. "With all the turbulence here at UNLV, all of my goals are pretty intrinsically motivated."

Even so, she may provide motivation for the rest of her team, which also will compete in the regional meet. Bestwick, who took over as the Rebels' distance coach this season, said Zarndt could have a big effect on the future of the program. She added that she is confident Zarndt can come up with at least one more big performance.

"She's really stepping it up," Bestwick said. "I expect her to do really well. She's having awesome workouts."

Zarndt appeared to have an NCAA appearance locked up last year, but she stepped in a pothole and sprained her ankle just minutes before last year's regional meet. As a result, she finished 40th.

Michele Suszek, Kelley Wright, Erin Hammond and Colleen O'Brien will accompany Zarndt to the regional meet.

"I think it will really be good experience for them," Bestwick said. "There's no bigger race, except for nationals. I think this will motivate the team for next year."