Marshall Women’s Cross-Country Feature<\/p>\n
By: Owen James, Training Coordinator, FM88 Sports<\/p>\n
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WMUL-FM) \u2014 Marshall women\u2019s cross-country and track and field runner Rachael Withrow has been in championship form all year long.<\/p>\n
The senior Bowling Green transfer won her fourth straight individual meet at Morehead State, finishing the regular season perfect and earning her program-best fourth consecutive Sun Belt Conference Women\u2019s Runner of the Week selection. Withrow finished the 5K in 16:26, beating out 239 other runners.<\/p>\n
She hasn\u2019t been squeaking out photo finishes either \u2014 her winning margin has averaged more than a minute faster than the runner-up. Withrow\u2019s speed and remarkable resilience and adaptability in different environments have helped her set a course record and record the best 5K time in the Sun Belt Conference in the process. With the conference championships tomorrow, the four-time SBC Women\u2019s Runner of the Week is the favorite to take the women\u2019s individual championship.<\/p>\n
However, Withrow\u2019s conference takeover has not been the most fulfilling part of her first semester at Marshall. For the Winfield, West Virginia, native, transferring to Marshall is a return to her home.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe got to wear the jerseys with the West Virginia on them, and I really like that jersey just because I feel like that means a lot to represent your home state, especially just being in Ohio before,\u201d Withrow said.<\/p>\n
A ubiquitous sight for any West Virginian became a source of comfort for Withrow upon her return, a sight she had missed at Bowling Green. \u201cThe hills,\u201d Withrow said. \u201cWhen I was in Ohio, it was flat as could be. So, coming back was nice.\u201d<\/p>\n
Besides the familiar hills, Withrow\u2019s transfer to Marshall also brought her closer to family and allowed her to reunite with high school rivals, now as teammates rather than opponents. \u201cIt’s been very different being close to home,\u201d Withrow said. \u201cMy family’s able to more easily come to a lot of the races and just be around if I need anything, which is a lot different.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt made the moving process a lot easier, but also it’s just really fun to be back competing on those courses that I did run in high school, and then also with the girls I raced against because it’s just really cool to be on the same team as them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Junior runner Destiny Berryman is perhaps the teammate with the closest and longest relationship with Withrow. Withrow said that, before transferring, she reached out to Berryman, who shared her experience as part of the Herd over the past two years.<\/p>\n
The pair\u2019s friendly rivalry culminated at the 2022 WVSSAC State Cross Country Championships, when Withrow crossed the finish line two and a half seconds ahead of Berryman, narrowly clinching second place in her last high school meet.<\/p>\n
However, the pair\u2019s relationship is much more than that of competitors. Berryman said Withrow\u2019s example of excellence has long pushed her to reach her full potential as an athlete. \u201cI’ve looked up to her for years,\u201d Berryman said. \u201cWe raced against each other \u2014 not just cross country but also track. She was always my biggest competition, which was very exciting.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe pushed me. She made me feel brave. She made me go out and get it. And every race that I’ve ever had with her, I’ve never felt unsatisfied. So, she’s always been the person that’s pushed me past my limits.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another teammate with a significant history with Withrow is junior Ellie Hosaflook. Hosaflook \u2014 who attended Ripley High School, an hour north of Winfield \u2014 raced against Withrow numerous times in middle school and high school.<\/p>\n
Hosaflook said one photograph came to mind when she heard Withrow would be joining her at Marshall: the two sharing the podium at the 2017 Ripley Covered Bridge Invitational, their first year competing against each other. \u201cI was just looking at that picture the other day, and I was like, \u2018Wow, we’re on the same team now,\u2019\u201d Hosaflook said.<\/p>\n
The reunions didn\u2019t end with Withrow\u2019s teammates either; cross-country head coach Caleb Bowen is also from Putnam County and watched Withrow race throughout high school. \u201cIt felt like I already knew Rachael by the time we actually met,\u201d Bowen said. \u201cIt’s like we had been friends \u2014 almost friends \u2014 a long time, like coach-athlete, before we even got there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bowen recalled watching Withrow in her first race in the green and white \u2014 the Thundering Herd Invitational in September \u2014 where Withrow ran an astonishing 16:11.2, beating her competition by a minute and a half and obliterating the course record by 50 seconds. \u201c[Withrow\u2019s performance] met my expectations, but also kind of blew me away because I<\/p>\n
was thinking I\u2019d been very happy with anything sub-17, which had been a course record, and yet we almost broke 16,\u201d Bowen said.<\/p>\n
While Withrow\u2019s performances have certainly been spectacular, the warm welcome from some familiar faces has been the greatest gift of all.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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