The good news is that senior captain Kristin Linsley and junior Darlene Beckford, the one-two punch that last year took the Harvard women's cross country team to the Nationals for the first time ever, are both back this fall.

But the even better news may be a bunch of new faces that have the potential to make this year's harriers the best squad in Crimson history. Jenny Strickler of Linclon, Neb., Kate Wiley of Toronto and Kathy Good from nearby Randolph lead a strong contingent of freshmen that should give Harvard depth it hasn't had in recent years.

Strickler is the national junior 1500-meter champion and recently turned in a blistering 4:26.5 for the metric mile at the National Sports Festival in Syracuse, N.Y. On the road, Strickler turned in a 13th-place finish in last year's National junior cross country meet.

Strickler's counterpart north of the border is Wiley, a member of the Canadian national team whose numbers (4:25 in the 1500; 9:27 for 3000) are just as impressive.

Wiley may get off to a slow start, however, because of a stress fracture in one of the small bones in the right foot. If that happens, look for area favorite Good, an All-State runner, to step right in. Good's versatility is her strong point--she can cover two miles in 10:41 and still have speed enough to be the state champion indoors in the 1000 yds. And, look for Katrinka Leschy, undefeated in New England prep competition at Andover, to make a contribution.

Add these to returning veterans like Ellen Gallagher, Martha Clabby, Wiley McCarthy and Anita Diaz, and the squad looks formidable. "On paper they're the strongest team we've had since we started in 1976," coach Pappy Hunt says. "Barring injuries, we can go undefeated, win the Ivies and take the Easterns."

Assistant John Babington adds, "I'm excited about this year's team, we should be pretty good if we maximize our potential."

The Crimson will get a good test of how good it is against UMass September 22 at Franklin Park. "They haven't beaten us in three or four years," Hunt said, "but they'll be tough enough to make us run."

After UMass, Harvard will face Brown and UNH before hosting the Ivy championships October 31 at Franklin Park.