Senior Conner O’Day will be fulfilling the team’s mission of winning throughout the season. O’Day is coming off of a great junior year, and he won most improved runner of 2013. He is focused on improving and simply works hard to win.

“Connor is a leader because he does things the right way, leads vocally when others need to be encouraged. He leads by example by working hard and doing the little things that will make him a great runner,” coach Nicholas Balbach said.

O’Day has earned respect from the lower classmen and is leading the biggest squad in his fourth year on the cross country team. Balbach expects O’Day to be successful in the near future.

“Conner kept getting better and better and showed the work ethic we desire,” Balbach said. “He continually drops his personal records.” Balbach said.

O’Day ran around 80 miles a week during the summer. This summer is the hardest summer he has ever worked.

“I would say most of our team works really hard so I don’t think he necessarily works harder but things are starting to click with him physically and mentally now,” Balbach said.

O’Day has high hopes in making the 16:00 club, which is for a 5k. During an easy run he probably averages 6:45-7 minute miles, during hard workouts he averages around 5:50-6:00 and during a race he should average around 5:10-5:20.

With constantly improving his personal records, O’Day looks to make his senior year memorable. O’Day wants to win and bring a state championship in cross country to Ben Davis.