University of Minnesota Athletics
Ness Focuses on Team Goals
11/10/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Cross Country
By Ellen Larson, Athletic Communications Student Intern
MINNEAPOLIS -- Bailey Ness is set to make her NCAA Midwest Regional debut as a redshirt sophomore after being named an alternate in 2014. Gopher Sports caught up with the Woodbury, Minn., native before the meet in Iowa City, Iowa, this Friday.
Gopher Sports: How has the season been so far?
Bailey Ness: It's been pretty good. It started off really well, but I got sick and then had bronchitis for a little bit. But it got better by Big Tens, and I'm feeling good now. The season's been good other than the rough three or four weeks in the middle.
GS: How are you feeling going into regionals?
BN: I think our team is ready to go, and we've had really good training the last couple of weeks. We've been tapering, so not running as much mileage. I think, based off our team in the last couple of workouts, we all seem pretty fresh and are looking ready.
GS: Do you have any more personal goals for the postseason?
BN: I just want to help our team qualify for nationals, and I know we have a good shot of going. I think being one of our top runners, to help us qualify would be one of my biggest goals.
GS: How has this season been different than previous seasons?
BN: I redshirted last year, so it's been very different from that season, obviously. I didn't travel a lot that year, but I traveled a lot my freshman year. I think this year, because I'm older, I would say I'm a little bit more of a leader on the team. We have a lot of older girls and really young girls traveling, too. So I think that being one of the people in the top group is different for me because I've never been in that top position before.
GS: What's the vibe of the team going into regionals?
BN: I think we're feeling good. We have two freshmen on the team and one redshirt freshman, so it's been cool to see our team slowly become good friends. The vibe is very positive, and we have a lot of energy. I think we're just fighting for each other to try to make it to nationals.
GS: What do you think is the team's biggest strength?
BN: Our biggest strength is that we have a lot of depth. I wouldn't say that there's always a set order on our team -- we don't have one specific person who's always going to be the best, or the second-best. We mix it around a lot. Other teams might have one good runner here and four back there, but we're close and that helps us a lot.
GS: Do you have anything you're working on or improving before regionals?
BN: I think something that I've been working on is focusing on myself. I want to go out at the beginning of the race and pick off girls as I go throughout the race.
GS: How does it feel to wear the Maroon and Gold knowing that your dad ran cross country for the U, too?
BN: I've always grown up wearing Gopher gear, because he did, too. But putting it on as my own jersey, and not a hand-me-down letter jacket of his has been really cool for me.
GS: How has the academic year been so far?
BN: It's good. I'm a retail merchandising major, and I'm finally getting into my major classes. Before I was mostly taking generals, so I really like that. I really like all my classes this year.
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Players Mentioned
