Delta Gamma is next in line

In the 20 years that women have been able to compete in the Little 500, only three sororities – Kappa Alpha Theta, Kappa Kappa Gamma and Kappa Delta – have ever been crowned champion.

This year, Delta Gamma wants to be added to the list.

“It takes a lot of hard work to come out on top,” senior captain Julianne Ellis said. “There are some things on race day that you can’t always predict. We definitely put in the hard work and are expecting to be a top contender.”

One advantage Delta Gamma has over most other teams is experience. Going into the April 11 race, three of the four riders will have already competed in two other Little 500 races.

“Every year your confidence grows, and I think you understand more about track dynamics and how everything works,” junior Kristina Heath said. “Having gone through the motions before, it definitely makes you more ready for race day.”

With two seniors and a junior as teammates, sophomore and first-year rider Lauren Half said the veteran’s experience has helped her improve at a fast rate.

“They have a lot of experience that I don’t have,” Half said. “Sometimes I don’t want to do what they tell me to do, but I know it’s beneficial in the end.”

Another factor in their favor is overall starting position for race day. With their qualifying time of 2:45.23, they will begin in the second position, behind Teter. With this placement, Delta Gamma will try to stay toward the front of the pace throughout the entire 100 laps.

“I think it is really important, especially at the beginning of the race,” Heath said. “You will be able to avoid some of the wrecks that are more likely at the back of the pack.”

The team members are also proud of their top individual performances in the series events. In Individual Time Trials, both Heath and senior Jessica Lander finished in the top 15 riders. For Miss-N-Out, Lander advanced to the finals and both Heath and Ellis made it to the semifinals.

“Being four deep is something that definitely makes you strong,” Ellis said. “I think we are right up there with other strong teams in terms of talent.”

Lander said the smaller events enable each team to see what they need to improve on for race day.

“Series events are really helpful to see where you are at against other teams,” Lander said. “We are really excited to prove what we have been working on this past year.” The two seniors, Ellis and Lander, hope their efforts during the past few years have paid off and that they can leave IU as champions.

“As seniors, Julianne and I want to make sure we leave with a good mindset,” Lander said. “We have built the program a little bit through the years and are hoping the success will carry through once we leave. We are trying to leave a legacy for oncoming years.”

Regardless of where Delta Gamma finishes on race day, Ellis said the team will be satisfied as long as the riders know they gave it all they had.

“Being part of the team and the Little 500 community is something that I can take with me from IU,” Ellis said. “We want to come away from the race and feel that we did our best, did not hold anything back and left it all out there.”