Last week, the Brandeis women's Cross-Country team kicked off its '03 season with a successful performance at the annual Wheaton Relays at Wheaton College in Norton, Mass. The highlight of the events was clearly a first-place finish from one of the Judges' relay teams.

The structure of the relays was unique, as it pitted six co-ed Brandeis relay teams against teams from Wheaton and Lasell College. The Judges' top relay team of Co-captain's Samantha Miller '04 and Gretchen Chick '04 prevailed with the help of men's Cross-Country team members Dan Crespin '05 and Ryan Parker '06.

The Wheaton Relays were the first meet for the eight first-years that have joined the squad this season, more than double the size of last year's roster. Strong performances from the first-years, which included impressive showings from Camille Stevens-Rumann '07, Alyssa Ross '07 and Megan Bisceglia '07 bode well for the future of the team.

With so many new freshmen and some members of the team returning from abroad, Jean Cann's squad is looking to make up for the loss of a large senior class that included three-time All-America Mariko Tansey Holbrook, who captured the UAA Championships during her record-setting senior campaign.

Co-captain Chick is excited for the season. "Since we graduated such a large senior class, and there are so many new freshmen joining the team it is difficult to define specific goals for the season," she said. "Although we believe we will be very competitive once again, especially among New England teams."

Last year the Judges placed second in the UAA, and despite the loss of Holbrook, return their next four runners. Chick and Miller look to take over the leadership roles, while underclassmen Sarah Beckwith '05 and Sarah Romain '06 should continue to show improvement.

"We're excited to get out there and see what everybody can do," Chick said, "It's going to be a great year."

Conference favorite, the University of Chicago is off to a quick start this season. On August 30, the Maroons placed first out of 19 competing schools at the Elmherst Invitational at Elmherst, Illinois.

In the 3200 meter run, junior Erin Steiner placed third out of a field of 221 runners with a blazing time of 11:38.85.

Steiner is complemented on the Chicago squad by senior Darcy Flora, who placed sixth with a time of 11:56.21, and sophomore Jessica Winter, who placed ninth with an impressive time of 12:02.85.

Chicago was competing against Midwest rivals such as Elmhurst College, Cornell College, Illinois Wesleyan University, Concordia College, Alverno College, Harper College and Robert Morris College.

Elmherst and Cornell finished in the top five along with Carthage College and North Central College.

The Maroons had a strong score of 55 points, 16 ahead of the second-place finishers.