WINONA, Minn. — When classes ended early last May, John Skemp didn’t let his Saint Mary’s University cross country teams leave without a little homework assignment: Put in the summer miles.

And when the Cardinals toe the starting line in their season-opening meet on Aug. 30, Skemp will have his grade book on hand.

“The key to our success during the season is determined by how hard the athletes train in the off-season,” Skemp said. “If they do their homework, if they put in the miles over the summer, it’s going to show in the fall.”

And while Skemp admits it’s still too early to tell just how much “studying” some of his athletes did during the summer months, he is encouraged by what he’s seen.

“A lot of our athletes have come in pretty fit, which is good to see,” said Skemp, who is entering his 12th season as the Cardinals’ head coach. “I wouldn’t say everyone put in the miles they needed to, but it’s obvious which ones did and which ones didn’t.”

And it’s those that did that Skemp will be relying on to shoulder the burden of carrying this year’s teams early on.

Seniors Renee Willkom (Cadott, Wis.), Natalie Cossetta (West St. Paul, Minn.) and Anna Shields (Mendota Heights, Minn.) have accepted that responsibility on the women’s side, while seniors Keith Pieschek (Sturgeon Bay, Wis.) and Jim Baertsch (Winona, Minn.) promise to be the leaders on the men’s side.

“We’ve got a great group of seniors — good work ethics, good attitudes, good students … ,” said Skemp. “They’ve been in it for the long haul and are looking to end their collegiate careers on a strong note.”

But they can’t do it alone.

Although, on the men’s side, the supporting cast isn’t too deep.

“The numbers are down on the men’s side, and that’s going to make it tough,” said Skemp, who has only nine men on his roster, including returners Pieschek, Baertsch, Karl Hatteberg (Waltham, Minn.), Pat Polasek (Glendale Heights, Minn.) and Andy Boisjolie (Austin, Minn.). “We are going to need some of our younger guys to step up and help out, but more than anything else, we’ve got to stay healthy.

“We can’t afford to have anyone get hurt.”

The numbers are a little better on the women’s side, where Willkom, Cossetta and Shields lead a group of 12, including regulars Erin Ida (Reedsburg, Wis.), Jenny Folgers (McHenry, Ill.) and Ellen Koranda (Blue Earth, Minn.).

“I wouldn’t say our numbers (on the women’s side) are great, but they’re OK,” said Skemp. “But I also think that this group (of women) could make some noise in the MIAC.”

And coming from Skemp, that’s high praise.

“You really have to have your athletes hitting on all cylinders to make a dent in the MIAC, it’s that tough — but I think this group of women, if they can put it all together at the same time, could make a move.”

But, Skemp quickly warned, where his teams finish in the MIAC isn’t going to determine the success of the season.

“Obviously you gear your season toward the final two meets of the season — the MIAC and the regional meets,” explained Skemp. “It’s not that you don’t care about the other meets, it’s just that you use those earlier meets to help prepare you so that you are running your fastest at the end (of the year.)

“Our main goal is to make sure that everyone stays healthy, and that everyone runs up to their abilities. Give us your best — we can’t ask any more.”