Garden City Community College cross country coach Dan Delgado's philosophy in three years leading the Broncbusters hasn't changed -- and it never was going to.

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Steele

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Rodgers

It's just taken his runners a little while to catch on.

Now, with everybody on the same page or getting close to it, the sky is the limit. Which sets the bar pretty high, considering both his men's and women's teams produced All-Americans last season and both finished the year nationally ranked.

"Our philosophy here is we have to learn to run hard and we have to learn to run when we're tired," Delgado said. "We do those two things and we have a chance to be competitive and start meeting our goals. That's who we are and that's what we do. If you can't do those two things then you won't want to run here."

The women's team, which finished ranked No. 12 in the nation last season, loses All-American Leticia Padilla, but returns Nos. 2 and 3 runners Andrea Steele and Kate Dibbern.

Delgado feels like the women's team has already come together thanks to Steele and Dibbern's leadership.

"For the first time in three years I feel like they are all on the same page," Delgado said. "And I'll go ahead and say it: We'll be in the top 10 and then we're going to be in the top five. After that we'll start shooting for a national title. I know that's saying a lot but I think we can do it."

Dibbern and Steele have embraced their coach's high expectations.

"When (Delgado) says we're all on the same page it means we've all bough into his crazy methods," Dibbern said, smiling. "We go out and give it all we've got. We push each other hard and don't worry about anything else."

Steele likes what she's seen in the newcomers.

"We've got freshmen that are running hard," Steele said. "We're going to put a solid five runners out there and I think we have a real shot at meeting our goals."

On the men's side, rebuilding will be a little more difficult with the loss of All-Americans Dane Steward and Nate Preston. Nick Rodgers returns after an All-American freshman campaign, but has been hampered by a sore Achilles thus far. Garden City product Cameron Rieth has also been held back by a strained groin.

"I think some of our freshmen are lacking in confidence right now," Delgado said. "We've got to get things going in the right direction and you do that by training hard and working hard."

Also returning as sophomores are Pur Khor and Rolla's Daniel Bucher, who Delgado thinks can be team leaders.

"I feel like we can be successful as long as we keep pressing hard and give it our all," Bucher said. "You can't ask for anything else.

"We really need the freshmen to step up because there are no superstars on this team."

The Busters open their season Friday at Barton County Community College.