Julie Opet 2007-08 Cross Country Roster

AS A JUNIOR: Continued to develop into a fine runner for the Irish cross country and track teams … was one of the team[apos]s top-five cross country runners all season long … led the team at the Valparaiso Invitational with a third-place finish … helped the Irish women win the team title at the National Catholic Championship with her fifth-place effort … ran 17:44 over 5,000 meters at the Notre Dame Invitational, finishing 47th … took 59th at the NCAA Pre-National meet … placed 28th in the BIG EAST meet before ending her season with an excellent 24th-place showing at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional … top performance of the indoor track campaign was her 4:56.90 mile at the Blue and Gold Invitational … did not compete during the outdoor track and field season … her continued improvement will be one of the keys to the Notre Dame women[apos]s distance program in 2007-08.

AS A SOPHOMORE: Showed major improvement in her second season of competition with the Irish … raced in four cross country meets during the fall … took 16th at the Valparaiso Invitational, covering 6K in 23:41 … ran a career-best time of 18:43 and again finished 16th on Notre Dame[apos]s home course at the National Catholic Championship … placed 33rd overall and second on the team in the Notre Dame Invitational Gold Division race, running 18:51 … took 57th at the Pre-National Meet Open race (24:13) … qualified for the BIG EAST Championship in the mile during the indoor track season and nearly added another league qualifying mark in the 1,000 meters … ran 5:04.63 in the mile at the Notre Dame Invitational to meet the BIG EAST standard … missed BIG EAST qualifying in the 1,000 meters by .03 seconds at the Meyo Invitational (career-best 2:59.07) … finished 11th at the BIG EAST indoor meet with a career-best mile time of 5:01.55 … also ran 5:01.92 for the mile at the Alex Wilson Invitational … concentrated on the 3,000-meter steeplechase during the outdoor season … established a career-best mark at the Miami (Ohio) Invitational, completing the event in 11:09.22 … qualified for the BIG EAST outdoor meet in the steeple, finishing 12th at the league championship in 11:13.39.

AS A FRESHMAN: Ran three cross country races in her first year…. Finished second in JV race at National Catholic Championship … had personal best 5K time of 18:59 at Notre Dame Invitational, finishing 30th in Gold Division race … finished 82nd at the Pre-National Meet in the Open race (23:30) … middle distance and steeplechase specialist in track … 10th at the Notre Dame Opener in the 800 (2:22.75) … finished 13th in the mile at the Notre Dame Invitational (5:18.80) … ran personal-best 5:16.06 in the mile at the Meyo Invitational… won steeplechase at Indy Relays in 11:31.68 … finished fifth at Central Collegiates in steeplechase … ran personal best in steeplechase at Hillside Gina Relays (11:10.74) to qualify for BIG EAST Outdoor Championship … finished 16th at league meet in 11:38.27.

HIGH SCHOOL AND PERSONAL DATA: Three-sport athlete at Radnor High School, with track, cross country and soccer … earned most state medals in school history … school record holder in 800 and two mile … member of All-America distance medley relay team … voted MVP of team 11 times (four in cross country, four in indoor track, three in outdoor track) … earned all-state honors seven times … team captain in cross country and track and field (indoor and outdoor) her senior year … born May 30, 1986 … daughter of Denise and William Opet … middle of three children … father, William played baseball at Boston University … enrolled in the College of Arts and Letters as a political science major.