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Cross country competition is back, with the classes of 2024 and 2025 competing under the cardinal logo for the first time. In the first meet, the women came out strong with a commanding victory at the Trinity Invitational on Sept. 11. Their final score was almost half that of second place (29–50), in part due to the performances of the race winner Miranda Graves ’23 and runner-up Emma Trapani ’21 MA ’22. The women continued to find success as they edged out two nationally ranked teams at the Paul Short Run on Oct. 1: No. 1 John Hopkins and No. 20 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. 

The men’s team has demonstrated potential as well, scoring in the top half in two of their first three meets. In their last meet, six runners posted personal records, including Dale Ross ’22 who recorded the Cards’ fastest time for the third meet in a row. For a team with a new coach and an abundance of young talent, the initial portion of the season has demonstrated that further progress might be right around the corner.

Supporting the two classes of new collegiate runners is an ensemble of upperclassmen who have not competed in cross country events in more than a year, many of whom have learned to appreciate the benefits of a break.

“COVID, along with the turbulence of multiple changes in the coaching staff gave our team time and space to evaluate the team environment we hope to foster this year and in years to come,” Nora Markey ’23 said.

Both Markey and Sophie Scobell ’22 told The Argus that the team hopes to develop a more inclusive space for athletes to compete while remaining cognizant of individual and team well-being. Building a positive team culture is especially important as the teams welcomes a new coach, Leo Mayo. Team members said that they are still adjusting to the change in coaching staff. 

“It is not expected to face such turbulence in one’s final year,” Scobell said. “Both the team and myself have been learning to work with our new coaches and they’ve been learning to work with us.”

Aidan Ward ’24 appreciates the work Mayo has already done to foster a commitment to team growth and the sense of drive he has instilled.

“Coach Mayo emphasizes getting better each day, whether that is through a hard workout or a cross-training and recovery day,” Ward wrote in an email to The Argus.

Maintaining a consistently rigorous training regimen is at the core of the new team’s identity, and it is already paying off both in results and in team attitude. For many seniors on the men’s team, simply returning to competitive form has been exciting.

“Honestly, I was surprised to even get the opportunity to compete again,” Ethan Walker ’22 wrote in an email to The Argus. 

Walker, like many other cross-country runners, is a member of the track team and competed in several track meets last spring. The track season gave a number of runners a way to stay in shape and has been used as a form of momentum building for the current cross-country season.

“With [the track season] in our back pocket, our goal over the summer was to project that positive energy into the cross country season,” Walker wrote. 

With three meets under the Cardinals’ belt thus far, the teams prepare for their final meet at Conn. College on Oct. 6 before heading to the NESCAC Championship on Oct. 31. The race is an important milestone, but many are already looking forward to a possible bid to NCAA Nationals in November.

The NCAA Nationals will be a competitive field, but the Cardinals have previewed many of their potential competitors during their first three meets. To secure a spot to nationals, the men need to put on a show in their next three meets as they have yet to be nationally ranked, and as of now, are ranked ninth in their region. As for the women, they are sitting comfortably at No. 28 in the nation with hopes of competing in nationals just in their grasp. However, like the men, they have three more meets to secure their spot and race in nationals for the second season in a row. 

“As a senior, my class has always had aspirations of our team going to nationals,” Walker wrote. “Although it would take really impressive performances to make it this year, I think it’s well within our reach.”

Niall Calvert can be reached at ncalvert@wesleyan.edu

Eli Seaver can be reached at eseaver@wesleyan.edu