Stetson's Men's Cross Country team will begin its season today, running at 6 p.m. at the University of Central Florida. The Hatters will be competing against other local schools including Florida Atlantic, Florida International and Florida Gulf Coast.
"It's our rebirth," cross country coach
Bryan Harmon said.
The impact of Covid-19, multiple injuries, and the loss of one of the best runners in Stetson program history give the men's team a multitude of opportunities this season.
Tristen Montalvo graduated last spring with a long list of accomplishments. He is the all-time school record holder in the 5k, 6k, 8k and 10k. Montalvo was not only the program's best runner but also a proficient team leader.
"This season is a chance for us to form a little bit of a different identity than we have had in the last three or four years," Harmon said.
The team includes juniors and seniors who are looking to take on important leadership roles and make an impact on the team. Seniors
Parker Hines and
Jakob McConnell, both captains, have been amazing leaders.
"Hines and McConnell transitioned very well into becoming the new leaders and put their own twists on things," Harmon said. "We're moving away from what we might have done the last couple of years, such as how we lead and operate."
The men's team added three new freshmen to the squad this season –
Luke Danison,
Collin Brooks and
Eduardo Diaz.
"I fully expect them to make an immediate impact," Harmon said.
The team has worked hard during practices and preseason training to make sure no teammate gets too far ahead of the others or starts to fall off from the group so they are better prepared come race day.
"We are constantly encouraging each other to stick together because that is what we want to do when it comes race time," McConnell said. "This year, we're going to be much more of a tight-knit group and racing a lot closer to each other, allowing us to feed off of each other's energy throughout the races."
The Hatters have just three tune-up events this fall before the ASUN Championship at the end of October in Huntsville, Ala. Following the race at UCF, Stetson will compete in Florida State's event on October 7 and South Florida's race on Oct. 14.
About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program is driven by a shared purpose. It is what inspires, motivates and binds us together. More than a task, a reason for being. THE HATTER PURPOSE is to create and provide an experience of a lifetime through teamwork and relationships to achieve excellence. This purpose is achieved through five Core Values: Communication, Integrity, Excellence, Value People and Commitment. To learn more about the HATS program and our Core Values, visit GoHatters.com/HATS.
Get in on the conversation on social media by following Stetson Athletics on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. For video content, visit our YouTube channels: Stetson Hatters, Stetson Athletics and, for live events, Hatter Vision.
