CEDAR CITY, Utah - With the 2025 season on the horizon, the Southern Utah University cross country team has set its focus on the future.
The program graduated several key athletes following a strong 2024 season in which the men's team placed second of nine in the Western Athletic Conference, and the women's team placed third. This means the Thunderbirds will charge into next season with a slew of fresh faces and new potential.
While Head Coach Eric Houle expects each team to be competitive in a field of seven WAC teams, the program's primary focus is on advancing the young but skilled roster.
"The team culture is as good as any time we've been competitive and had a shot to win the conference title or qualify for nationals. The culture is strong enough that no matter what we accomplish this year, the athletes know we're on the rise. We're very young, so we want to focus more on the development of their talent than on the opposition."
Building Unity
SUU's racers recently joined together as a team to participate in a progression run, which the coaching staff uses to gauge how each individual has shaped up in their personal summer training. Using this starting point, the teams headed on a retreat to Brian Head to set individual and group goals.
The trip also acts as a great opportunity for team bonding and introducing new athletes to the program's culture and history. Later this week, the Thunderbirds will go bowling and golfing to get to know each other before they take on the race course as a team for the first time.
Capping off the program's team-building exercises, SUU cross country will host a high school race in Cedar City as a way of giving back to the community.
Names to Watch For
With a full season ahead, Houle considers it too early to know who will be at the front of the pack by the end of the season. However, several interesting prospects fill out an intriguing roster that offers promise for years to come.
For the women's team, returning racers like Taylor Jorgensen and last year's freshman standout Audrey Hales will be joined by a strong incoming squad that includes the returning Claire Killpack, Helen Glaze, Aspen Hacker, and Claire Hoenes.
On the men's side, veteran runners like Garrison Shindler, Logan Peel, and Richard Crane will look to take it up a notch, while first-year athletes including Amit Cohen and Todd Yeates kick off their collegiate careers.
Season Schedule
Every race on the cross country schedule plays an important role, but Houle has two races highlighted as "checkpoints" on the schedule before the WAC Championship race: the UCR Invitational on Sept. 27 and the Bronco Invitational on Oct. 18. Since the teams will train through their other races, these will act as measuring stick meets before taking on conference competition.
The schedule also includes the annual Color Country Invitational as the program's lone home race, hosted at the Cedar Ridge Golf Course on Oct. 4. SUU fans are encouraged to show out and cheer on the Thunderbirds.
Follow Us
Stay up to date during the 2025 Thunderbird Cross Country season by following @SUUTFXC on Twitter and Instagram and liking the Southern Utah Track & Field and Cross Country page on Facebook.
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