Kunc, UK Cross Country Have High Expectations for SEC Championships

This weekend will be a real test for Katy Kunc and the rest of the University of Kentucky Cross Country team.

Kunc, a junior from Burke, Virginia, gives credit to her high school’s prestigious running program for getting to where she is now, running both cross country and track for UK. Kunc began running cross country to stay in shape so she could play college soccer, but shortly realized her running potential.

“In high school, my teammate Hannah (Christen) and I both made Footlocker Nationals and that was really rare for two people at the same high school to go to the meet,” Kunc said. “When I went there, I was like ‘maybe I should run in college’. It was really cool being recruited by a bunch of coaches. That’s when I realized I could be a good runner in college.”

On Friday, Kunc and Christen will be reunited, competing against each other in the SEC Championships. Christen is a junior at Ole Miss.

Kunc has had a big fall already, winning three times. She started the season by winning the Wildcat Opener in Lexington, followed by another victory at the Bluegrass Inviational, a win that earned her SEC Runner of the Week honors. She won for the third time on October 14 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, taking home first place in the Alabama Crimson Classic . 

According to Kunc, the entire UK team has stepped up and gotten a lot better, allowing the them to mesh together. This helped Kunc get better through her workouts.

Kunc has high expectations for this weekend for both herself and her teammates. 

“We are such a different team than we were last year,” Kunc said. “I really think we can be top four or five as a team if we all have a great race. Individually, I am trying to get top five.” 

The SEC Cross Country Championship will take place October 28, 2016 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Women’s 6K Race will begin at 10 a.m.