Roadrunners sit in first, greek teams follow

The front row for the 14th women's Little 500 has 14 riders who are capable of competing. But only 12 are eligible to get on the bike on race day.\nWhen the Roadrunners and Delta Zeta took the top two spots in qualifications March 24, they had five riders on the team's rosters. Come race day, one person from each team must be cut to meet the required maximum of four. With three veteran riders, Phi Mu isn't faced with that problem and will be starting from the third spot on the outside of Row 1.\nRoadrunners (2:52.75)\nRoadrunners coach Susan Gasowski called the task of narrowing the roster to four on race day "unfortunate" because she said each rider is capable of riding Friday. As of now, the Roadrunner roster is composed of seniors Amy Bridges, Leslie Gilmore, Randi Ritter and Sam Karn and sophomore Jenn Wangerin. \nGasowski described the team's attitude toward the Little 500 series as a fun one but filled with hard training, something that will help the team on race day.\n"We have a strong bond as a team, and the girls have grown closer and more cohesive as a group as we get closer to race day," Gasowski said. "As the coach, this has been so much fun to see."\nWith four of the five riders being seniors, Gasowski said this gives the team a lot of depth.\n"Every rider has worked so hard, and each rider has pushed one another to make improvements and reach new levels on the bike," Gasowski said. "With the training, dedication and bond that these girls have, I believe that they will add to the excitement of the 2001 Little 500."\nDelta Zeta (2:56.94)\nThe Delta Zeta race team has the same problem as the Roadrunners but with fewer returning riders. Senior Lisa Braudis is the only veteran on the team while seniors Jenni Leslie and Angie Mays, junior Katie Englehart and freshman Katie Brownell are all riding in their first Little 500.\nDespite the inexperience, Braudis said she feels the team has the strength to compete with the best, something she credits to coach Jim Kirkham.\n"We have more heart than I have seen in four years," Braudis said. "Our team is strong mentally as well as physically. Our rookies this year are stronger than the rookies we have had in the past."\nBraudis said their key to race day success is the positive attitude the team maintains during training and throughout the series events.\n"This attitude will help us more on race day than we know at this point," Braudis said. "You can't miss our team; we will be the one(s) smiling on the front line."\nPhi Mu (2:57.37)\nAfter finishing ninth in the 1999 women's Little 500 and falling to 17th by the end of last year's race, the three returning riders on Phi Mu are looking to get back to the top. Seniors Kara Kenney and Jenny Hackett are three-year veterans and junior Sarah Wright is a two-year veteran. Sophomore Analisa Dziedziejko is the only rookie on the team. \nKenney, who is vice-chair of the riders council, said the team has been working on speed, endurance and power riding during training, which included a trip to Venice, Fla., during spring break. She said the team has taken the "never stop riding" approach to its preparation.\n"Watch out," Kenney said. "We love it when our thighs are flaming"