2023 Men’s Cross Country Season Preview
2022 Heart Finish: 5th out of 13
Letterwinners returning/lost: 6/4
Notable returners:
Max Finley, Fr., Richville, N.Y.
(First-team all-Heart, season-best 8K 26:26.29)
Brandon Williams, Jr., Fountain, Colo.
(Honorable-mention all-Heart, season-best 8K 26:40.84)
Jonah Heckenberg, Sr., Stockport, Iowa
(Letterwinner, season-best 8K 27:09.5)
Notable newcomers:
D'Artagnon Beaver, Jr., Rockford, Ill.
Andrew Miller, Fr., Le Claire, Iowa
Carson Springer, Fr., Grimes, Iowa
Drake Hamm, Fr., Drakesville, Iowa
With a strong returning nucleus combining with impressive incoming talent, the Statesmen men's cross country team is poised for a breakout season in 2023.
Caleb Drake, in his second year at the helm, has his squad prepared to fight for league supremacy after finishing fifth at last year's Heart of America Athletic Conference Championship.
Slated to lead the pack will be Max Finley (Fr., Richville, N.Y., Secondary Education) after qualifying for nationals last fall. A first-team all-Heart honoree, Finley had a top time of 26:26.29.
Brandon Williams (Jr., Fountain, Colo., Civil Engineering), who earned honorable-mention all-Heart laurels in 2022, will also be in the mix. The junior had a season-best time of 26:40.84.
Jonah Heckenberg (Sr., Stockport, Iowa, Business Management), with a 2022 season-best time of 27:09.5, is figured to be a key piece this year as well, while Ethan Varvelo (Jr., Channelview, Texas, Engineering) has improved greatly and will be fighting for a slot in the varsity lineup.
William Penn's newcomers are headlined by junior college transfer D'Artagnon Beaver (Jr., Rockford, Ill.) and prep standouts Andrew Miller (Fr., Le Claire, Iowa) and Carson Springer (Fr., Grimes, Iowa, Business Management).
Schedule/Conference
William Penn begins the campaign Friday in Cedar Rapids at the Corridor Clash.
The schedule is a combination of smaller, regional meets and larger meets against some of the best groups in the NAIA. The Statesmen enter the season picked to finish third in the Heart, while Benedictine leads the standings.
