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14 CAVALIER CORNER BY BILL BUNTING W inning an NCAA champi- onship is an accomplish- ment rarely achieved by many programs. It takes a combination of prepared- ness, talent and likely a bit of good fortune at some point along the way as teams navi- gate a season of competition. That makes the accomplishment of the Virginia women's cross country program in the early 1980s more special as it claimed back-to-back NCAA titles, winning the championship in 1981 and 1982. The 1981 crown was the first sponsored for women in cross country by the NCAA, and the two titles make Virginia one of only nine schools to win multiple championships. Those two team titles were historic markers for UVA women's athletics. They were the first NCAA championships won by women's teams at the University. Previously, the Cava- liers had captured top honors at the 1981 in- door track and field championship that was administered by the Association of Intercol- legiate Athletics for Women (AIAW), the gov- erning body for women's athletics before the NCAA added women's sports championships. Vin Lananna, the current director of track and field and cross country at Virginia, points to recruiting as one of the essential pieces to winning a national title. "First and foremost, it requires talented student-athletes, so recruiting is essential," Lananna said. "Secondly, the program must have compatible training partners so that there is a balance between scientific physi- cal preparation and a strong team culture. "Third, there should be excellent compet- itive opportunities for the student-athletes to practice racing at a high level. Finally, the coach must individualize the plan so that each student-athlete is receiving a personal- ized training program." The pieces to the national championship puzzle began to fall into place while the Cavaliers were competing in the AIAW. The finishing touches were added with the arrival of a new crop of student-athletes for the 1981 season. Included in that group of newcomers was Lesley (Welch) Lehane, who would finish fifth at the 1981 NCAA Championships and claim the program's only individual NCAA title in 1982. Lehane and her twin sister, Lisa, came to the Cavaliers from Peabody, Mass., after nar- rowing their choices down to three schools — North Carolina State, Penn State and Virginia. Virginia had finished as runner-up to the Wolfpack at the ACC Championships the pre- vious two seasons (1979, 1980). According to Lehane, part of the recruiting pitch from the Pack was that winning a title was a lock if they came to NC State, but not likely in their future if they went to one of the other two schools. She said that pushed she and her sister to pack their bags and head to Virginia with a goal of an NCAA title at the front of their minds. They joined a squad that already had two- time All-American Aileen O'Connor on the roster along with what Lehane characterized as some of the most impressive runners she had encountered to that point — and the work began immediately. "We really liked the team when we came down on our visit," Lehane said. "We felt like it was a really good match. The number of high-quality distance runners was pretty THE FIRST THE FIRST CHAMPS CHAMPS Championship Chemistry Led To UVA's First Women's NCAA Titles The Cavaliers' 1981 national championship was the first sponsored for women in cross country by the NCAA. They went on to win in 1982 as well, making UVA one of only nine schools in the country to win multiple titles. PHOTO COURTESY UVA YEARS OF WOMEN AT UVA