Notre Dame's Huddle Finishing Strong

Senior garners Big East honor

May 8, 2007

By Brett Hess

Special to CSTV.com

	Brett Hess Brett Hess covers Cross Country for CSTV.com E-mail here!

        ---   Column Archive   --- TRACK/CROSS COUNTRY 11/19: Kipyego, Stanford Win As Expected 11/19: Blow For Blow To The Finish 11/16: Practically A Sure Thing 11/16: Championship Field Is A History Lesson In Motion 11/6: Irish Hope Shay Is An Inspiration 10/30: Louisville's Emergence Continues 10/23: No Margin For Error 10/16: Kuijken, FSU Race Toward Postseason 10/09: Liberty's McDougal Begins Run For Title 10/02: Rice Women Surprise At Notre Dame 9/25: Invitational Season In Full Swing 9/19: Still Pinching Herself 9/11: Kipyego, Barringer Are Favorites 9/4: Lomong and Rupp Lead Returnees 6/8: Texas Tech's Kipyego Closes In On History 6/7: Arizona's Arnold Sets Record in Decathlon 6/5: FSU Isn't Feeling The Pressure 6/5: Throwers Lead Sun Devils to Sacramento 5/29: Stars Shine at NCAA Regional Meets 5/26: Florida State Primed For East Regional Title 5/26: Top-Ranked LSU Women Trailing At Mideast Regional 5/22: Hastings Does It Her Way 5/15: Wisconsin, Omole Make History at Big Ten Meet 5/8: Notre Dame's Huddle Finishing Strong 5/1: Drake or Penn? Why Not Both? 4/24: Hokies Show Courage In Competing 4/17: Senioritis is Good for Diana Pickler 4/10: Little Longhorn With Big Heart 3/26: Patience Pays Off For Duke's Rowbury 3/20: Just Like The Movies 3/11: Solinsky Leads Wisconsin To First-Ever Track Title 3/11: Front-Running Sun Devils 3/11: Saluki Strong 3/9: The Dual Is On 3/9: Stevens Helps Pace Sun Devils To Early Lead 3/6: Outdoor Champ FSU Favored Indoors 3/5: Sun Devils Look to Take Next Step 2/20: As Belt Leaps Higher, So Does L'ville 2/6: Huskies Running Out In Front 11/19: Stanford's Aiming For Repeat 11/19: Wisconsin Favored To Defend Title

Molly Huddle came to Notre Dame five years ago with a goal. Nine Big East championship titles, nine all-America performances and countless records later, Huddle is still working toward that goal.

Next month in Sacramento, Huddle will get her one final chance for an NCAA championship.

At this moment, her chances look good.

Huddle won both the 5,000 and 10,000 titles last weekend at the Big East Conference meet and for the second straight year was named the meet's most outstanding track performer. Huddle has now qualified in both the 5K and 10K for the NCAA meet June 6-9 in northern California. A decision will be made later as to which event she'll run at the meet.

"I'm more comfortable in the 5,000 because I've run it a lot more," Huddle said. "I've raced it a lot of different ways: going out hard or taking it easy until late in the race. With the 10,000, I just don't have as much experience. But I've done pretty well so far."

Huddle's coach, Tim Connelly, said running a 5-10 double at the national meet is nearly impossible because of the schedule. The 5,000-meter preliminaries are on Wednesday, the 10,000-meter race is on Thursday and then the 5,000-meter finals is Friday.

"That's a tough double," Connelly said. "Molly is looking for her best shot at winning. We're going to do what's best for her. She's earned it."

Huddle's victory double at the Big East meet had "t-e-a-m" written all over it. In true school spirit, Huddle took one for the team but still came out ahead.

"We wanted to win the team championship, which we've never won before," Huddle said of the Irish. "We came so close last year (second), so this was the year."

First, on Friday, Huddle won the 10,000 by over a minute with a time of 33 minutes, 20 seconds. It was her second straight 10K title at the Big East meet.

"The plan was just to win and run fast enough to qualify for national's (33:30)," Huddle said.

With that behind her, Huddle could prepare for Sunday's 5,000.

"It was very exciting knowing that my points could put us over the top," Huddle said of running the 5,000 late in the meet on Sunday. "It was exciting running for the (team) championship."

Huddle raced to a 10-second victory over Providence's Aine Hoban, finishing in 15:59. The performance helped wrap up Notre Dame's first-ever outdoor conference championship. The Irish held off Louisville, 120.5 to 106.5. It was also Huddle's fourth 5,000-meter Big East title.

And then, finally, Huddle was free to set her sights on her national goal. As mentioned above, Huddle is a multi-time all-America with a best finish of second in the 5,000-meter outdoor meet her sophomore year. But a championship has eluded her.

"It's what I dreamed of since coming here," Huddle said of winning a national championship. "This is my last chance. Just thinking about it gets me excited."

Said Connelly: "She was a 10:01 or 10:02 kid for the two-mile in high school so she came here very talented. She's accomplished a lot but I know there is still something missing that she wants. She is so driven."

Connelly said Huddle's strength is in her head.

"Of course she's incredibly talented," Connelly said. "But a lot of kids out there are talented and work hard every day. What sets her apart is that she's unbelievably competitive."

Huddle agrees, using different words.

"I'm just naturally geared for endurance," Huddle said. "I don't have to run as much mileage as others do. And mentally, I'm perfect for it. I can only do one thing at a time. I have tunnel-vision. It works for me, but when I'm racing I'm so focused."

National title or not, Huddle plans to race professionally this summer and into at least 2008 before putting her biology degree to use.

"I want to do my best to make the United States (track) team this year," Huddle said. "But with the college season, I don't know. But next year will be a big year. I'd love to make the Olympic team. That's everyone's goal."

On Track

 * The Louisville men proved their Big East Indoor title -- the school's first conference title -- was no fluke by winning the outdoor title as well. Arthur Turland was named the Big East Field Performer after winning the javelin and discus. Andre Black won the triple jump and the long jump while Tone Belt won the high jump.

* Oregon's Britney Henry threw a meet-record and season-best 221-7 in the hammer throw at the Oregon Twilight.

* Arizona senior Jake Arnold claimed the decathlon title and Washington State senior Diana Pickler won the heptathlon at the Pac-10 Track & Field Multi-Event Championships in Stanford, Calif. Arnold won the pole vault and javelin on the second day to win by 632 points over runner-up Ashton Eaton of Oregon. Pickler wracked up a 228-point victory over her twin sister, Julie. She totaled 6,108 points.