LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The names are distinguished and, if you're a member of the Bellarmine University women's track and field team, probably a little daunting to consider.

Eight-time All-American Meghan Roby. All-American Amanda Schnabel. All-American Sarah Schuster. All-American Bridgette Mangold. National qualifier Erin Crone.

Sure, there's going to be significant losses stemming from every graduating class, but the wattage of star power in last year's group of Knights seniors was in the mega level and perhaps exhibited most clearly when the Knights captured the title at the Great Lakes Valley Conference Indoor Championships.

For anyone within the program, it was perfectly natural to wonder if the Knights could maintain their standing among the GLVC's elite after losing such an accomplished group of performers.

"Going into the year I think all of our coaches were a little nervous about who was going to step up and fill all the big gaps that we've had, but I think some of our sophomores and juniors who maybe spent their first couple years in the shadows of a Meghan Roby, an Erin, a Sarah — I think they're ready to come into their own this season and realizing that we have gaps to fill, but they're the ones to fill those gaps," said Angela Hapner Musk, the Knights distance coach. "They're doing it with a lot of grace and not too much intimidation. That conference championship was something that class was working toward since they were freshmen. There's big shoes to fill, but I don't think any of them are shying away from the task."

The roster isn't very large so Bellarmine isn't relying on a "strength in numbers" approach; the idea is to maximize the strength within their numbers. There will be Knights who branch out and compete in events they haven't been accustomed to participating in at the collegiate level. That challenge has been embraced.

"I think that's definitely going to be critical this year with a thinner squad," Musk said of the need for the Knights to be multidimensional. "We need our athletes to show up and be ready to compete hard. Then compete hard again. Then compete hard again. We're not going to have many single-event athletes on the roster this year."

While several marquee performers have departed, Bellarmine still has multiple athletes who are experienced on the national stage.

Yashira Rhymer-Stuart returns as one of the most decorated performers in program history. The senior enters her final season with four All-America accolades in the high jump on her ledger. She earned first-team honors in both the indoor and outdoor seasons last year at the NCAA Championships, including placing third at the outdoor event. Rhymer-Stuart had an auspicious start to this season after clearing an NCAA automatic qualifying mark in early December at the Indianapolis Winter Break Meet.

"She's demonstrated year after year she's a national-caliber athlete," Musk said. "Going into this year with the mindset of being a national championship-caliber athlete is certainly appropriate."

Ashley Reyna-Padilla is another returning first-team All-American. The junior earned the acknowledgement as a member of the 4x400 relay team that placed seventh at last season's NCAA Indoor Championships, and she also secured an invitation in the 400 while tallying All-GLVC honors in the event. Senior Karly Gawarecki, who earned All-America plaudits during the cross country season, secured a berth last year to the outdoor nationals in the 10000 and placed 15th.

Joining Reyna-Padilla on the sprint side is junior Victoria McKenzie, who was a member of the All-GLVC outdoor 4x100 relay team, along with junior Sofia Carias and freshman Talia Robinson.

In middle distance, sophomore Emily Wiegel earned All-GLVC accolades last season on the 4x400 relay team at the GLVC Outdoor Championships. Sophomore Lauren Masden scored last season in the 800 at the same event, while senior Megan Line gained points in the 800 at the conference indoor meet. Senior Audrey Sweetland and sophomore Lauren Stephens are also middle distance.

Joining Gawarecki in the distance corps are juniors Whitney Liefer and Sammie Moore, sophomores Caroline Collins, Riley Glenn and Bayley Wade, and freshmen Abby Jaworski, Alivia Ryan and Neville Wintergerst-Burch.

Junior Sarah McMurchie scored in the jumps at both GLVC Championships last season and in the heptathlon at the outdoor version. Senior Jordyn Milheiser competes in a variety of events as well. Junior Maggie Cherveny scored in the triple jump at last year's GLVC Indoor meet.

Sophomore Ally Kluender scored in the discus last season at the GLVC Outdoor Championships. Freshman Emily Tuma is also involved in the throws.

Bellarmine has finished no lower than fourth at the GLVC Outdoor Championships since 2009 and at the GLVC Indoor Championships since 2010. Vying for the conference title is the standard, and that expectation hasn't diminished.

"Our goals as a team this year won't change in terms of competing to win a conference championship," Musk said. "Coach (Aaron) McAndrew and I have reiterated that to the girls. We don't have some of the front-runner superstars that we've had in the past, but we will have the expectation that people will step up more than they've needed to before."

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