While the Penn State women's cross country team opens up its season this Saturday in Lock Haven, the team has another date and place that has been on its minds for months now: Oct. 29 in Bloomington, Indiana.

That's when and where the Big Ten Championships will be held.

The team is eager for this year's championship, after last season's 10th place finish.

"We want to improve our performance at the Big Ten Championship. Years prior, we were at the top. But last year we graduated a lot of seniors. It was a rebuilding year," senior captain Shannon Van Dyke said, referring to the 2005 season.

Last year's team had a lot of underclassmen. That trend continues this season, as many freshmen are expected to make an immediate impact this fall. Such freshmen include Bridget Franek and Cheryl Spring.

"Bridget was a multiple state champion and Cheryl was a great long distance runner in high school," head coach Beth Alford-Sullivan said.

But there is also a newcomer on the coaching staff, as Alford-Sullivan adds John Gondak as an assistant coach for both men's and women's distance running. Gondak comes to Penn State after leaving the University of Kentucky.

But perhaps the greatest coaching pedigree on the team lies with Alford-Sullivan, who helped coach the USA women's cross country team at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece.

Alford-Sullivan acknowledges the huge effect this experience had on her.

"It was an opportunity to bring back lessons learned to the team and about life. It was true recognition," she said.

Alford-Sullivan also takes over the men's cross country team coaching duties this season.

Up until 2006, she was solely the women's coach for the previous seven seasons. But with coaches like Gondak providing Alford-Sullivan assistance, the transition should happen very smoothly.

The recent U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Women's Cross Country Poll had seven Big Ten teams in the top 30, with Michigan leading the way at No. 3.

Penn State didn't receive any votes in the poll.

So while voters may second-guess the Lions, Penn State will have plenty of chances to prove voters wrong.

"We have a lot of freshmen and underclassmen. We only graduated three seniors," Van Dyke said.

"But we have a lot of experience, a lot of depth. We have many talented athletes. We just want to be awesome."

That talent combined with the determination to prove that last year's disappointing showing was simply a fluke could have the Lions in the championship hunt this season.

"They are very motivated. We're ready to turn things around, and get it going," Alford-Sullivan said. "We have the intensity to get things done."

The only question that remains is how big of a step forward the team will take this year.

"We want to move forward and solidify the program. We have a solid foundation," Alford-Sullivan said.

"We want to improve our Big Ten finishes, make a splash and finish in the top five again."