For most athletes across Ursinus’ campus, June is a time of recovery. Some find themselves finishing up a long spring season, while others gear up and rest for an exciting fall/winter. But for one Bears team, June represents something different: the beginning of a new season and the exhilaration that comes with it. Ursinus Cross Country, after beginning back in June, faces its most important stretch of the year, with conference championships looming just a month away. I spoke to Head Coach Carl Blickle to get a feel for both teams, as they prepare for the November of a lifetime.
When speaking with Bears’ runners, it’s obvious the excitement they carry from a year ago. Both men’s and women’s teams finished 5th respectively within the conference, with their strong depth helping them along the way. But with the loss of 6 total seniors, questions would begin to mount going into the 2024-25 season. Luckily, this year’s class of first-years has answered those questions right away, giving the team confidence heading into these championships. “It’s been a lot of fun,” exclaimed Blickle, speaking of the first-years’ ability to “adjust to their new environment successfully” as key to the success of the Bears so far. FirstYears Elizabeth Dill ‘27 and Mary Acar ‘27 have already made a big difference for the women by placing at meets at Lebanon Valley and Osprey, while men’s first years Aiden Furtek ‘27 and Jonathan Sabo ‘27 have boosted the men’s depth on the course. The addition of “dynamic and positive personalities,” as Blickle describes them, has been key for the Bears early, allowing them to account for some key losses.
While the Bears’ youth has been a huge contributor to their success, their veteran core still remains their greatest strength. Liam Johnston ‘26 and Ryan Martin ‘26 return from last year’s team on the men’s side, looking to follow up stellar performances from Conference Championships a year ago. The two placed 37th and 41st respectively among the field, with an opportunity to rise this year with 11 seniors who placed in front of them graduating. On the women’s side, Ryann Wauthier ‘25, Meghan Carroll ‘25, and Mia Sideris ‘26 all will look to repeat their top-30 finishes among the Centennial Conference field a year ago. 9 seniors, including 7 in the top 10 of the race, graduated from the women’s side this year, creating a rather wide-open field that the Bears could benefit from. The team’s depth should give them a fighting chance at competing with the conference’s best this November.
Although the Bears’ talent is obvious on paper, things haven’t been perfect early. “Injuries and sickness” were factors that “held the team back” according to Coach Blickle at their last meet, leading to a disappointing day overall. The Coach pointed to this, however, as just a speed bump, with the team “trying not to get overly excited or upset” about meets early in the season and “prepping for what really matters in October and November.” Those meets loom right around the corner, as the Bears will travel to Logan Twp, NJ for the “Inter-Regional Border Battle” at Rowan University, before preparing for Centennial Conference Championships in Carlisle, PA a month from now. The team will look to “drop the volume and increase the intensity” of their training over this stretch, says the coach, as they taper down for the tough races ahead. But as they prepare for “championship season,” the Coach feels both teams are more than ready. “Both teams are capable of competing with the best in the conference and region” emphasized Blickle, With that kind of confidence, the Bears should roar into the field this November with a fighting chance.