Wayland Baptist women's cross country teams have made five appearances in the NAIA Cross Country Championships. The 2007 team had the highest-ever finish at nationals, placing sixth. This year's team was ranked fourth in the final NAIA Coaches Top 25, and head coach Brian Whitlock fully expects to bring home a trophy from Saturday's 29th Annual Women's Championships.

"The top four teams get a trophy, and I will be really disappointed if we don't bring get to bring one home. There are six really good teams this year, including us, so it's going to be tough."

Cedarville University of Ohio and Azusa Pacific University are the favorites to capture the women's title. Cedarville, the runner-up last year to five-time champion Simon Fraser, has been ranked first in all but two polls this fall, and Azusa Pacific boasts the top two individual finishers from 2007.

"Cedarville doesn't have one really strong runner, but they have a real strong pack and they've already beaten Azusa this year.

"Those two schools will be really hard to beat. If we have any kind of shot at winning, we are going to have to run really well from top to bottom and those two teams are going to have to have a runner or two struggle."

California State-San Marcos is ranked just ahead of the Pioneers in the polls, and Concordia (CA) and Malone (OH) are tied for fifth.

The individual title could come down to one of three runners, APU's Jaime Canterbury and Jacky Kipwambok, and Wayland's Caroline Karunde. Canterbury claimed the crown last year, finishing just four seconds ahead of Kipwambok, but neither runner has matched Karunde's last two performances so far this season.

Karunde established a new school record with a 16:48 three weeks ago when she won the NAIA Mid-States Classic in Winfield, Kan. The sophomore from Kenya followed that up by breaking the course record at the Sooner Athletic Conference Championships two weeks ago with a 16:44. Canterbury hasn't had a particularly good fall, according to Whitlock, and Kipwambok has broken the 17 minute mark just once this season when she ran a 16:57 last month.

"If Caroline is feeling 100 percent, she can beat either one of them. We've been working hard in the early mornings the past few weeks to try and get used to the cold, so I will be disappointed if the cold weather affects us."

Whitlock also expects freshman Purity Biwott to finish among the leaders. "Purity has run a 16:57 in the last two meets, so she is in top form right now. She doesn't have the experience that the other top runners have, but I fully expect her to finish in the top five."

Senior Erin Britton, who just missed earning All-American honors last year when she finished 34th, is also running well right now, according to Whitlock.

"This is her senior year and we're counting on her to be in that top 30 group this time."

With senior Kydia Echols still feeling the effects of a foot injury suffered back in September, freshman Selené Lopez, who has steadily improved her times throughout the fall, must come through on Saturday.

"I'm hoping Selené can be our #4 and run somewhere between 18:30 and 18:35."

If Whitlock can get that out of Lopez and if one of the three remaining runners--Echols, senior Elva Pedroza or freshman Katie Roland-can break 19, the Pioneers would be in good shape to bring home some hardware.

"Kydia is hurting, but Elva has looked good lately. Katie is a freshman and has been up-and-down, but she is capable of doing it, too."

The Pioneer men's team will be represented by freshman Luis Pena, who qualified as an individual based on his performance at the conference championships.

"I'm really pleased with what Luis has accomplished this year. This will be a good experience for him and we're hoping for a top 75 finish."

The championships are being held once again this year in Kenosha, Wis., where the temperature this week has hovered in the mid-to-low 30's. Saturday's high is supposed to reach 40 degrees. The women's race is scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. at the Dr. Wayne E. Dannehl Cross Country Course. The men will follow at 11:45.