By Matt Cain
Contributor
2024 Men’s cross-country media day.
With the post-season right around the corner, the cross-country team is gearing up for the NE10 Conference meet.
The Owls have won the conference for the past two years. They could make history, as they look to take home the crown for the third consecutive time.
The depth of the team makes the Owls strong and competitive. They also have competed at various Division I meets, making them ready for the NE10 competition.
In the conference, the Owls are heavy favorites to take the title home again. With the conference meet taking place on Sunday, Oct. 27, the Owls feel good about their chances.
“We feel good. We have been reducing mileage and focusing on more speed preparing for the post-season,” runner William Lamburn, a senior, said.
The running history at the university is very prestigious. They have been dominant in the NE10 and built a foundation begining with the coaches.
Assistant Coach Brian Nill competed for the university previously. He ran in big meets and helped the Owls capture several conference titles.
“To run for Nill, he’s a good coach and knows how to get us ready for the season and post-season,” Lamburn said. “There’s been a lot of great runners from the past.”
Nill tries to structure his training so that his athletes run their best at the right time. October is the month where the team is tested for the conference meet.
“So far, I think we checked all the boxes we needed to in terms of doing what we need to do to run fast at the national meet, and conference will be a step in the right direction,” runner Bryan Ryder, a senior, said.
The cross-country team is a smaller, family-oriented group of athletes. Unlike track and field, the types of athletes and events are the same. In cross-country, everybody does the same job and same training.
“We’re like a family. It’s nice to know our number one runner is just as important as our number five runner,” runner Owen Gagne, a senior, said.
Even with the success of individual runners, the team stays grounded and sticks together. The Owls celebrate team success more than individual runners. This type of leadership sets the Owls apart from other teams in their conference.
“There’s no egos. We run for each other, and we run together. That’s our biggest strength; That’s what sets us apart from others,” Ryder said. “This is what makes us the strongest team in the conference, and most importantly, the region.”
The Owls will look to make history at the conference meet. NE10s will be held at Contoocook New Hampshire on a flat and fast course. The team will look to do what they have been doing all season: running together.
