Elaine Gu brings senior leadership to this year's squad. Gargoyle photos by David Porreca (click to enlarge)

Junior Katherine Allen made varsity last year in her first season on the team.

Junior Brittany Scheid holds the second-place trophy that last year's team won at the St. Joseph Spartan Classic.

URBANA — Two years ago at the IHSA Class A state finals, then-junior Michelle Mehnert led the girls cross country team to an impressive fourth-place team finish. Mehnert placed seventh individually, a new school record for best individual girls performance at an IHSA cross country state finals.

That record would only stand for one year as Mehnert would come back as a senior to run a third-place finish at the 2007 state finals. The girls team, which had all of its varsity runners from the previous season returning, qualified for state with a third-place finish at sectionals.

Despite retaining all of their top runners from the previous year, the Illineks were unable to repeat their success from the 2006 season, placing ninth at state in 2007.

"Last year I felt burnt out," said senior Elaine Gu, commenting on the disappointing team finish. "There was a lot of pressure going into the season. We didn't run our best at state. Most of us didn't have great races; most of us didn't run PRs."

Gu is looking to cast away the disappointment of last season with a fresh start for this year.

"I just want to be happy with my season," she said.

Junior Katherine Allen also felt the stress: "I was really nervous all of the time, especially after the first meet when I made varsity, and we were really good, and I was part of it."

Like Gu, Allen is looking forward to having less pressure this season.

"We're smaller and the expectations are lower," she said. "I feel like I'm in this for myself. Last year I didn't feel like I was doing it for me."

This year's team is only six strong, losing three varsity runners to graduation: Mehnert (now a student-athlete at the University of Illinois), Shivani Khanna, and Jennifer Roloff. One other member of varsity, junior Isaure Hostetter, chose not to run this year.

Despite the losses, the team has promising young talent and a few well-seasoned veterans — Gu and junior Elizabeth Russell — to lead the team. Also among the six are returning runners Allen and fellow junior Brittany Scheid, and newcomers senior Maddy Levin and freshman Shruti Vaidya.

"This year is a rebuilding year," said Gu. "One of our subbie runners, Sarah Vaughen, is really fast."

This year's team will be challenged by its small numbers, but strong individual finishes are well within reach.

Unlike last season, the Illineks won't be burdened by high expectations. In DyeStat Illinois' preseason preview, Uni was given brief mention, falling out of the top 15 rankings for Class 1A.

The girls will be tested on Tuesday with the first meet of the season, the Kickapoo Kickoff Classic at Kickapoo State Park, then they will go after their fifth straight Twin City championship a week later at Illini Meadows. The season will culminate two months later with the state finals on Nov. 8 in Peoria.

With Mehnert leading the way, Uni won the last two Kickoff Classics.

"It's always the hardest meet because it's the first of the year, but it will help us get our goals and our season into focus," said Scheid.