West Virginia head track and field and cross country coach Sean Cleary's team had by far the best year in program history.
It started in the fall when his cross country team finished sixth in the NCAA Championships. His indoor track and field team followed suit with a 10th-place finish at NCAA Championships. Then, in outdoor track and field, the team finished 16th at NCAAs.
In addition, 17 WVU athletes earned all-American honors including three in cross country, 10 in indoor track and field and four more in outdoor track and field.
The previous record for all-Americans in a single year at WVU was seven in 2004.
"I'm very proud of the ladies this year," Cleary said. "To have 17 all-Americans blows my mind away. It's an accomplishment that may never be broken here at WVU."
His team's seniors starred in the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Cleary realizes how hard it will be to replace them.
Karly Hamric and Clara Grandt will be among the most missed by the Mountaineers – two girls that Cleary said improved for four straight years. Hamric and Grandt became one of the top tandems in Mountaineer track history.
"What is amazing about these two is the fact that they were freshmen roommates who both struggled," Cleary said. "To see them, four years later, running with the very best the NCAA has to offer is incredible.
"Although these two cannot be replaced, we are encouraged for next season and have a nice lineup returning."
The team was without one of its best athletes Chelsea Carrier in 2009-10, who redshirted the outdoors track and field season after a stunning performance during the indoor season.
During the NCAA Indoor Championships, Carrier finished sixth in the NCAA hurdles final and fourth in the multi, taking two all-American honors.
Cleary said he expects Carrier to lead the team next year.
The Mountaineers' head coach is excited about an influx of freshmen who will come into the program to replace the departing seniors.
"We do have a few fresh faces for next fall. I'll redshirt most of them while they get their feet wet," Cleary said. "I am not certain that right now any of them can step in and fill the shoes of those that we have leaving right away."
The coach mentioned names like Josie Crouch and Alex Dent from Hurricane (W.Va.) High School, and Shakiyla Crosby from Oak Hill, W.Va.
The Mountaineers also return April Rotilio – a two-time all-American in indoor track and field. Rotilio capped off this year with the school record in the indoor 400 meter.
Cleary expects Rotilio to have success in the 400 meter and continue to be the backbone of the Mountaineers' distance-medley relay team.
Although this season is comparable to none other in WVU track and field history, Cleary is confident his team can build on it and continue to succeed next year.
"With what we have returning, and the experience they have obtained, we should be OK," Cleary said. "In this sport, as with all sports, teams go in cycles. I do not feel ready to say that we are rebuilding. Although we lose a lot, I feel that we can still maintain or improve upon this year."
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