Given her success this year as captain, Swartz certainly had no to question her own talents as a leader.

Swartz's fellow team members lavish praise upon their leader and confidante.

"I think she's a great captain. She's very encouraging at practice and meets. It's always encouraging when the captain is a leader in the field. Karin is always number one or two," junior Megan Fritschel says.

Freshman Christine Nuzum says Swartz helped to make the rookie members of the '92 cross country team feel at ease.

She's attentive. She's really made freshmen feel very welcome," Nuzum says. "Without Karin I don't think the team would have been nearly as integrated."

Junior Michelle Jernigan bands together with her team in congratulating Swartz.

"She's one of the best captains I've ever had. She's a good friend to everybody and a natural leader," Jernigan adds.

The effusive compliments of her team may lead one to wonder where the pill is in all this jam. But, Swartz is honestly well liked by all the team. Her easygoing attitude and fierce team loyalty seem a winning combination.

Though she doubts she will run competitively after college, the biochemistry concentrator still has plans for the cross country team.

She jokes with teammates about running together as the U.S. Olympic Marathon team in 2000. And, her eyes gleaming mischeviously, Swartz hints that the women's cross country team might make a trip to Japan in the summer, just as the men do every year.

Those are certainly lofty goals. But don't count Swartz out. Given her desire and drive, there's no telling what she might achieve.