During the offseason, sports teams strive to build for the future by recruiting some of the best and brightest athletes in the country. For the Penn State women's cross country team, this statement also rings true, and this year's freshman class has proven to be notable for one main reason: Tracey Brauksieck.

While Brauksieck has shined all season long, her brightest moment may come at noon today in the 2002 NCAA Cross Country Championships at Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Ind. For the first time in six years, the Nittany Lions will compete as a team in the meet.

"Michelle [Wale] qualified individually last year as a freshman, so I was hoping to do the same thing as her," Brauksieck said. "I think it is very special that the whole team qualified for nationals. All of my teammates have worked extremely hard this season."

Brauksieck is one of the primary reasons for the Lions' success this year. In her debut race, she captured the Spiked Shoe Invitational title at home. Additionally, Brauksieck placed fifth at the Penn State National meet, third at the Great Meadow Invitational, and has been the highest finisher for the squad in each meet this season.

Throughout the postseason, Brauksieck has also been nothing short of spectacular. At the Big Ten Championships, she finished 10th, and at the 2002 Mid-Atlantic NCAA Regionals placed second, achieving the highest finish of any Lion since Penn State joined the Big Ten in 1991. With her regionals finish, Brauksieck helped the Lions place third out of 27 teams.

Brauksieck feels her success is due to the unwavering support of her coaches and teammates.

"Coach Alford-Sullivan, Coach Jim Sullivan and Kim McGrevey have helped the team and me achieve all of our successes this season," Brauksieck said. "They show up at practice every day ready to encourage us and help us run our bests. They are truly committed, standing out in nasty weather for an hour or so while the team and I do our workouts."

"The team has also been very supportive of me all season long too," Brauksieck continued. "They have helped me work through the hard days and have helped me keep a positive, enthusiastic attitude about running. For instance, the throwers on the track team decorated our van when we went down to Regionals."

Overall, Brauksieck hopes to run a good race, to create the perfect ending to a dream season.

"The team is so deserving of this because we have worked so hard," Brauksiek said, "and everybody is so team-oriented, while having great work ethics to get the job done."