Siona Chisholm, a Canadian athlete and junior at Notre Dame as well as a two-time NCAA Division 1 Cross Country Championships qualifier along with a 10th-place finisher in the outdoor 5,000-meter final in June in Austin, Texas, joins DyeStat editor Erik Boal to discuss competing Nov. 18 in the women's 6-kilometer championship race at the Panorama Farms Course in Virginia. Chisholm was 81st in her NCAA finals debut last season at the Greiner Family Course in Stillwater, Okla., helping Notre Dame secure seventh place overall as a team. She was one of seven Notre Dame competitors in the top 40 in a 39-71 victory Nov. 10 at the Great Lakes Regional at the Thomas Zimmer Championship Course in Madison, the second time Chisholm and the Irish had raced on the course this season after securing sixth place Oct. 13 at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational. Chisholm examines impact freshmen Grace Schager and Gretchen Farley have had on the Notre Dame lineup this season and credits their composure and poise in helping them thrive in the postseason. She also analyzes the significant presence in the program of graduate student-athlete Andrea Markezich, who transferred from Washington, and how meaningful it has been to witness the strong performances of both Great Lakes Regional winner Olivia Markezich, as well as her sister Andrea. Chisholm expresses gratitude for Notre Dame coach Matt Sparks and his leadership and support, and how valuable his guidance has been ahead of the Division 1 championship meet. She also shares how important the wisdom, insight and experience of Katie Thronson has been after she made the transition from graduate student-athlete to assistant coach this fall for Notre Dame. Chisholm explains the benefits of Erin Strzelecki, Olivia Markezich, Sophie Novak and herself all having competed at last year's Atlantic Coast Conference Championships at Panorama Farms, and how the competition in the deepest conference in the country has helped Notre Dame prepare for the NCAA final, as the lineup pursues the first women's podium finish for the program since 2004 in Virginia.