With five of his top seven runners returning from last season's 20th-place finish at the NCAA meet, third-year Badgers women's cross country coach Jim Stintzi looks to continue making progress.

The No. 10-ranked UW women's cross country team opened the season by taking its second consecutive Pioneer Harrier Invitational last Saturday at Carroll College. Badgers sophomore Maggie Hippman led the women to victory with her first-place finish, covering the 5,000-meter course in 18:48.

The Badgers' 30-point total was 21 less than the second-place team, UW-Oshkosh.

Stintzi said the performance of Hippman was positive, and he expects the redshirt freshman to instantly contribute to the Badgers' competitive squad.

"Maggie Hippman was a big positive," Stintzi said. "She was not ready last year, but I think she will be a real strong addition."

Stintzi also expects juniors Ann Detmer and Emily Post step up into competitive roles this season.

"Emily Post was always on the verge," Stintzi said. "I'm looking for a big breakout year from her."

Stintzi said it is important to train intelligently and avoid injuries to reach the team's primary goal of improving upon last year's performance.

The team was solid at the 2005 Big Ten conference meet and performed even better at the NCAA meet, but struggles marred much of the middle of the season, Stintzi said.

From his returning runners, the coach expects good leadership and improvement from last season's finish.

The team is once again paced by senior Katrina Rundhaug, who finished 36th at the NCAA championships last year.

Seniors Amanda Ganser and 'A Havahla Haynes and sophomores Ashley Benson and Alicia Pabich join Rundhaug as the team's returning NCAA competitors.

Stintzi said Haynes has been a consistent leader for the team, and he looks for another solid season from her.

He added that Pabich should be able to take confidence from a consistent track season in the spring into the fall as a member of the cross country squad.

"Alicia Pabich had a solid cross [country] season last year, but she had a great outdoor [track] season," Stintzi said.

Rounding out his top squad, Stintzi hopes a couple of freshmen run their way into the mix, but he acknowledges it is always tough to know what to expect from newcomers.

"I hope a couple of new freshmen can help us," Stintzi said. "But you never know with freshmen."

Friday's Eastern Illinois Invitational in Charleston, Ill. will serve as Wisconsin's second meet of the season Friday. In the first U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association poll of the season, Wisconsin is ranked 10th and is a solid third in the Big Ten in terms of national rankings, following Michigan at No. 3 and Illinois at No. 6.

Stintzi said Friday's race is a little larger than the previous race, consisting of mostly Division I schools, but the competition is still not at the level of the Big Ten, he added. He hopes the race is part of a progressively more difficult schedule throughout the season to prepare the team for the conference and national meets.

Stintzi plans to send out most of his "A" squad Friday to get an idea of where the team is and who will run for the next meet in a couple of weeks.