WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
BY MICHAEL SPATH
W
hen Rebecca Walter crossed
the finish line in fifth place at
the Big Ten Cross Country Champi-
onships in 2002, the freshman from
Beverly Hills, Mich., found herself
staring in disbelief, overwhelmed by
her accomplishment.
A little less than three months
earlier, Walter had arrived in Ann
Arbor a recruited walk-on with the
expectation she might not make the
travel squad her first two seasons.
Instead, she paced the Wolverines
at the Big Ten Championships, the
NCAA Great Lakes Regional and the
NCAA Championships her first year,
and then again in her second and
third years. She was also the team's
top finisher at the NCAA Champion-
ships in her senior campaign.
"I have friends that have dabbled
in the ultra-racing scene, and they're
really a nobody and then they start
having success and get on this bliss-
ful high, and trust in their training
and their coach, and are nothing but
happy the entire way," Walter said.
"It makes training so easy, and racing
so exciting."
In the 36-year history of the wom-
en's cross country program, Walter
ranks among the two best runners to
don the maize and blue, along with
Katie McGregor, who captured the
1998 individual national title.
Walter is one of only two three-
time All-Americans in program his-
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
Former Runner Rebecca Walter Has
Turned Her Passion Into Her Profession
Walter, who arrived at U-M as a recruited
walk-on in 2002, is one of only two three-
time All-Americans in program history.
PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS
