On Her Game: Marian's Volkman Right on Course as a Junior

Maureen Volkman said she “wasn't very good” when she started running cross country her freshman year at . But since then, Volkman has found her stride.

She's become a key contributor to the Spartans and has earned the respect of her peers and her coach, Tim Sovereign—so much so that she was named a captain for the 2011 season, even though she is only a junior.

Volkman's efforts on the course have helped the Spartans to a 2-0 record in dual meets this season and to sixth-place finishes at the Normal West Invite and the St. Viator Invite.

Though Volkman said that larger invites can be intimidating, she added that once she's out on the course, it's all about the competition.

“It's really an exhilarating feeling, knowing that you're with all those people and that you have so much competition with you,” she said.

Volkman and the rest of the Spartans girls cross country team will next run in the Argo Invite at 9 a.m. on Saturday.