Wayne State College women’s cross-country has been hit with injuries.  

Junior Brooke Solomon and sophomore Lindsey Stuckey have both been injured throughout the season. Solomon has only raced once this season and was the second-best runner on the team. Stuckey has raced three times and is the top runner on the team.  

Having both out has caused other runners to step up. Junior Alison Stineman has taken over as the top runner. Kelsey Larsen has also stepped up and is the second-best runner on the team. Both anchoring this team to finish the season off. 

Head Coach Marlon Brink does not believe either Solomon or Stuckey be ready for the NSIC Championships.  

“It will be highly unlikely that she [Solomon] will be ready to race at conference just how things are looking right now,” Brink said. “Just hasn’t healed up as quickly as we needed her to.” 

With just the conference and the regional championships left it looks like her season might be done. Stuckey could also be done for the season with an injury.  

“Dealing with a potential stress fracture also, if that turns out to be the case, she won’t be ready either,” Brink said. “For them both it’s just a matter of time.” 

The practices are shifting in preparation for the championship meets.  

“[We] incorporate a bit more speed into our workouts, our overall volume of miles run each week drop down just a little bit,” Brink said. “We will continue to do that a little bit as we continue to get closer to NSIC Championships.” 

Brink mentioned how the teams dealt with practices from a leadership standpoint.  

“[We] changed the leadership on the team a little bit,” Brink said. “Now it’s Kelsey Larsen and Kylie Pachta that kind of been the two girls who had to step up.” 

Injuries still do not affect the overall goals for the team. 

“Taking out your top two runners kind of changes what your overall expectations might be,” Brink said. “But at the same time if are other girls step up and can do well, hopefully we can have as good as a finish as last year or even move up a spot.” 

WSC women’s cross-country just finished their last regular season meet at the Mount Marty Invite in Yankton, South Dakota. Stineman and Larsen helped the team to a seventh-place finish with a score of 194 points. 

The team is preparing for the NSIC Conference Championships on Nov. 5 in Wayne at 11:15am.