Junior Katie Hursey has played a prominent role in the success of the No. 10 women's cross country team this season. The Maryland native clocked the team's best time in three out of the four races she has competed during the 2009 season. Most recently, Hursey led the Orange women at the BIG EAST Championship hosted by Marquette, placing a team-best eighth overall with a time of 21:30. Prior to the BIG EAST meet, Hursey stood out at Indiana State University's Pre-Nationals Invitational and the Wisconsin Adidas Invitational, propelling her team to a fourth and second place finish, respectively. As a sophomore, she won the annual John Reif Memorial Run. In 2007, Hursey was the top freshman cross country athlete in the region, earning her an All-Region selection. 

On why she chose SU:
“I chose mostly because of Coach Fox. I really liked him. I didn't know much about the school or anything. I just talked to him and thought 'Wow, he seems like a really good coach.'”

On her pre-meet routines:
“Usually, if I have a good meet, I just keep the same routine for the rest of the season. Right now, it is eating oatmeal and a bagel and that'll probably last for the rest of it.”

On eating any special foods before running:
“Chicken parm is always my dinner no matter what the day before.”

On her goals for the rest of the season:
“I really haven't thought about it too much to be honest. For time, I want to break 21 in a 6k, but depending on the course, that doesn't really matter. I think I have the team's goals in my head more than anything right now. We want to make Nationals and it would be great to make top 10. I feel like we can be.”

On the best reason for SU fans to support cross country:
“Probably because we're a nationally ranked program now and we've shown ourselves to be getting better. And next year the BIG EAST Championships are going to be here so they can come to meets.”

On playing other sports growing up:
“I swam competitively since I was seven and I always thought I would go to college for swimming. I played lacrosse until my freshman year when I decided I wasn't very good and that it annoyed me. I quit that and I started doing track just because it was there and it was something I could do to stay in shape. I won my state championship in track my first year and then I went out for soccer because I've always loved it, but it wasn't going to get me as far as running would. I quit my junior year on picture day. But I think swimming was the hardest to give up and I hope to do triathlons because I still really love it."

On why she stuck with cross country instead of another sport:
“At the time, it was because I was good at it. It wasn't like I actually enjoyed running at that point. But now, with the group of girls here, I've learned to really love it. It keeps me mentally grounded and keeps me in check.”

On the best piece of advice she's gotten from Coach Fox during her time here:
“Not to worry too much because I'm always one who gets really anxious before the meet. He is always telling me to just stay calm. He tried to keep my nerves down.”

On her favorite Coach Fox memory:
“There are too many little things that he does, but they're not funny to anyone else.”