(Grand Rapids, Mich.) For the past five seasons the NAIA Great Lakes Challenge has been a make-or-break race for the Cornerstone Women's Cross Country team. More often than not, the result has ended any hope of qualifying for the NAIA Championships. "We've had a crazy range of things go wrong here," said Coach Rod Wortley. Last season, the team's top runner wound up in the hospital the night before the race and didn't run. Three years ago, their #5 runner was knocked down and spiked in the first 100 meters, needing 14 stitches to close the gash. In 2008 CU's #1 runner dropped out after two miles.

The 2012 season has been different. "We have the same team, just a different attitude," said senior co-captain, Julia Contreras, who has been through her share of Great Lakes disasters.  That difference has resulted in breaking the school record for team time on three occasions and the highest national rankings in program history. But it didn't start out that way.