Colorado
Wyoming Invite
New Era, New Season, Same Expectations
August 26, 2024 | Cross Country
BOULDER – It's been a whirlwind for the Colorado Cross Country program after a new leader was announced for the first time in 31 years.
Sean Carlson was named the Director of Cross Country and Track & Field in July 2024 by Athletic Director Rick George.
Despite the late start, Coach Carlson has hit the ground running, bolstering the roster with seven new Buffs: five men and two women. The additions include two transfers from Tennessee, two incoming freshmen, and a graduate transfer from Western Colorado, who is a Greeley native. On the women's side, there is a graduate transfer from Charlotte and an undergraduate transfer from Tennessee.
Men's Roster Additions:
Dean Casey, an undergraduate transfer from the University of Tennessee, arrives with an impressive résumé. The international runner from Ireland won bronze at the 2022 U20 European Cross Country Championship. His honors from 2023 include being named the Cross-Country SEC Men's Freshman Runner of the Year, earning a spot on the USTFCCCA All-South Region team, and making the All-SEC Second Team. He was also part of the SEC All-Freshman Team and was recognized as the SEC XC Freshman of the Week on October 17, 2023. His personal records include a 10K time of 28:39, which qualified him for the NCAA East Regional.
Christopher Cherry will also transfer from the University of Tennessee. Cherry brings a strong background in cross country, having been named the 2021 GLVC Cross Country Freshman of the Year and earning two-time All-GLVC honors. Cherry's personal best in the 1,500 meters is an impressive 3:41, which qualified him for the NCAA East Regional this past track season. Cherry's personal bests also include a 5K time of 13:55.
The final transfer, Simon Kelati, comes to CU as a graduate transfer from Western Colorado. A Greeley native, Kelati has a strong track record, including an NCAA Division II 3,000-meter indoor national title with a time of 7:57. His cross-country résumé includes a second-place finish at the 2023 NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships with a 10K career-best time of 29:13. He earned All-American honors in 2022 and was an All-Conference honoree at the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championships. Kelati's personal bests include a 5K time of 13:34.
The Buffs squad will also add two standout incoming freshmen:
Ethan Edgeworth from Cold Springs High School in Bremen, Alabama, made history by becoming the first four-time state champion in Alabama. In the 2023 cross country season, he clocked a personal-best time of 14:34.29 at the Class 1A-2A State Championships, leading his team to victory. Edgeworth also placed fifth at the Nike Cross Southeast Regional Championship and earned a spot at the Nike Cross Nationals, finishing 47th. He boasts a 3.82 GPA and personal records of 4:00 in the 1,600 meters and 8:38 in the two-mile.
Jake Liebert, a freshman from South Carolina, broke the state record with a U.S.-leading time of 14:06.44, marking the nation's No. 20 all-time performance. A 2024 graduate of Wando High School, Liebert is a three-time South Carolina XC state champion and a five-time state champion on the track. He also qualified for the 2024 Footlocker Nationals, where he placed 11th. His personal bests include 14:06 in the 5K and 8:47 in the two-mile.
Women's Roster Additions:
Jessie Secor, an undergraduate transfer and Louisville, Kentucky native, comes with an impressive track record. In 2023, she earned USTFCCCA All-Academic honors, NCAA All-Region honors, and was named to the All-SEC Second Team as well as the SEC All-Freshman Team. Secor's standout performances include an 11th-place finish at the NCAA South Regional and a 14th-place finish at the SEC Championships. Her personal bests include a 6K time of 18:57.7 and a 5K time of 16:26.
Louise "Lou Lou" Lounes joins as a graduate transfer from Charlotte. Originally from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Lounes brings a wealth of experience and strong personal records, including a 10K time of 33:16 and a 5K time of 16:08. She is also a 2022 NCAA national qualifier in the 10,000 meters, where she finished 18th in the country.
These newcomers bring a mix of youth, talent, and experience, giving the Buffs a strong foundation for the future.
Key Returners:
Kole Mathison will run for the Buffs after a stellar 2023 season, where he qualified for the World Championships after a second-place finish at the USATF Cross Country Championships in the U20 men's 8K, with a time of 24:18.4. That was his second straight World Championships. Mathison competed in Belgrade, Serbia, at the Cross Country World Championships in the U20 category, finishing in 30th place and as the second-highest American. Mathison earned an All-American Honorable Mention after finishing 19th in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the 2024 NCAA Track and Field Outdoor Championship.
Isaiah Givens, James Overberg, and Grady Rauba are other Buffs to keep your eyes on.
Rauba placed 49th at last season's Pac-12 Cross Country Championships. His momentum continued into the outdoor track and field season, scoring points for the Buffs in the 5K and 10K meter races, placing fourth and ninth respectively. His ninth-place finish qualified him for the NCAA West First Round, where he placed 34th. Givens placed 18th at last season's Pac-12 Cross Country Championships, finished 30th at the Mountain Region Cross Country Championships, and competed at the NCAA Cross Country Championships. Overberg placed 30th at the Pac-12 Cross Country Championships and competed at NCAA regionals and national championships.
Women's Key Returners:
The Buffs will welcome four key returners, including two transfers and two freshmen:
Jessie Secor, the aforementioned undergraduate transfer, adds depth and experience to the women's side. Louise Lounes also brings her graduate experience to bolster the team.
Incoming freshman Gioana Lopizzo finished 39th at the Nike Cross Nationals with a time of 18:22.9 (5K). Lopizzo, a Switzerland native, made her way to the United States at the age of twelve and graduated from La Costa Canyon High School in Carlsbad, California.
Emma Zawatskie, a Freehold, New Jersey native, graduated from Freehold Township High School. This future sports broadcaster recorded a stellar high school career, winning five NJSIAA Track Meet of Champions titles: two in cross country, one in the indoor 1,600, and two in the outdoor 1,600.
The Buffs will also see the debut of Abbey Nechanicky, Natalie Cook, and Marlee Starliper in cross country.
Starliper transferred from N.C. State, where she competed in two outdoor seasons and one cross-country season for the Wolfpack. She earned second-team All-American honors and All-ACC performer honors in the 5,000m run. Her personal bests include 15:36.51 in the 5,000m.
Cook, who comes to CU from Oklahoma State, redshirted last season but competed one season for the Cowgirls. She finished seventh at the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships on November 19, 2022, with a personal best time of 15:24.26. Nechanicky, scored for the Buffs after a fourth-place finish in the 10K at the Pac-12 Track and Field Championship last season, qualifying her for the NCAA West First Round.
Buffs Announce 2024 Cross Country Schedule:
The Colorado Cross Country teams are gearing up for an exciting season with a challenging schedule ahead. The Buffs will kick off their campaign with three meets before heading to the Big 12 Cross Country Championships.
· August 30: Wyoming Invite
· September 21: Roadrunner Invite (Women)
· September 27: Nuttycombe Invite (Men)
· October 19: Pre-Nationals
· November 1: Big 12 Championships
· November 15: NCAA Mountain Regional
· November 23: NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships
The Buffs will open the season at the Wyoming Invite for the first time since 2021. Colorado will make its 22nd trip to Wyoming for the event. The women's squad will stay in Denver next to run the Roadrunner Invite on September 21. The men's team will head to Madison for the highly competitive Nuttycombe Invite on September 27. Both squads will return to Madison for the Pre-Nationals Invite on October 19, their last warm-up before the Big 12 Cross Country Championships on November 1, where CU will look to add to their Big 12 hardware, which includes a combined 16 championships.
Carlson Rounds Out Staff with Fresh Talent and Proven Track Record:
With the new season upon us, the Colorado Cross Country and Track & Field programs are set for an exciting era under the leadership of Director Sean Carlson. Carlson has added a mix of experienced and emerging coaches to his staff, further strengthening the Buffs' competitive edge.
Distance Squad Coaching Additions:
Kate Mattison has joined the Buffs as the Assistant Distance Coach and Recruiting Coordinator. Before arriving in Boulder, Mattison served briefly as the Assistant Cross Country Coach at the University of Tennessee. She began her coaching career as the Distance Graduate Assistant Coach at Western Carolina University from June 2023 to May 2024. At WCU, Mattison made a significant impact, setting five school records and becoming the first female athlete in the university's history to earn three Cross Country All-Conference Team honors. Her achievements also include being a five-time Cross Country and Track & Field All-Conference Team member in the Southern Conference.
Dalton Hengst joins the distance staff for his first coaching role. Hengst, a former standout at the University of Tennessee, is known for breaking the four-minute barrier in the men's mile and setting a school record. His collegiate career includes five years at Ole Miss, where he was a five-time SEC track & field finalist and contributed to SEC cross country team titles in 2018 and 2019. Hengst brings a deep understanding of distance running and a storied high school career with multiple national-level performances.
Val Constien, a two-time Olympian and the 2024 U.S. 3,000-meter steeplechase champion, will also assist the distance squad. Constien played a crucial role in leading the Buffs to their third NCAA National Championship in 2018 and earned an All-American finish.
With a blend of youthful promise and seasoned expertise, including two-time Olympians, conference champions, and record holders, the Buffs' new era under Director Carlson looks exceptionally bright.
Buffs ranked in USTFCCA Preseason Poll
The Buffs enter the season ranked by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA), with the men ranked 20th after finishing last season at 25th. The women are ranked 26th after concluding last season in 19th place. The rankings were released Tuesday, August 27 by the USTFCCCA.
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Players Mentioned
