The finishing kick with the NCAA champions...

Courtesy of gohuskies.com, the seven runners on the University of Washington cross country team that won the NCAA title, along with assistant coach Kelly Strong share in their own words, their reflections on the magnificent ride that was the 2008 season.

From a personal perspective, it was a joy to watch these women run against the best that America had to offer. I had the opportunity to watch them run this fall on four occasions--the season-opening Sundodger Invitational at Lincoln Park; the Pac-10 Championships in Springfield; the NCAA West Regionals in Palo Alto; and, the NCAA Championships in Terre Haute.

The seeds for this run to the national championship were planted in Terre Haute one year before, when the Husky women finished a program-best eighth place at the 2007 championships, but left Indiana feeling unfulfilled.

The momentum was continued in Eugene at the Olympic Trials when Katie Follett, Amanda Miller & Michelle Turner all competed together in the 1500 meter run along with high school sensation Christine Babcock, who would become their teammate in the fall.

To read their thoughts on the 2008 season, click here...