Links:
2025 Roster |
2025 Schedule |
2025 Coaches |
Individual Results
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. - The goals are always lofty for the Williams College men's cross country team.
The Ephs have won a NESCAC-leading 22 conference titles and emerged victorious during the 1994 and 1995 NCAA Division III Championships. The 2024 team won the NESCAC Championship for the fifth year in a row and the program won four consecutive NCAA Regional Titles from 2019-23. The 2009 and 2015 units finished second at the national championships. During five of the last six NESCAC Championships, an Eph won the individual title, including
Chuckie Namiot '25 (2024),
John Lucey '24 (2023),
Elias Lindgren '23 (2022),
Aidan Ryan '22 (2019) and
Ryan Cox '20 (2018).
"The men's team will be deep this year and that is always a strength," said third-year head coach
Dusty Lopez. "We will be looking for strong leadership from a big senior class, along with good contribution from the younger returners. People have done good work this summer, so building on that, we can be confident about putting together another enjoyable and successful season."
The 2025 season starts with the Little Three Championship on Saturday, Sept. 6, at the UMass Cross Country Course in Amherst, Massachusetts. The Ephs will travel to Vassar in Poughkeepsie, New York, on Saturday, Sept. 13, for the Ron Stonitsch Invitational, and then the unit hosts the Purple Valley Classic/Pete Farwell Alumni Race during senior day on Saturday, Sept. 20, at the Mt. Greylock XC Loops.
Tragically, on Jan. 7, 2025, first-year
Alex Kemp passed away following a skiing accident the day prior at Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort in Hancock, Massachusetts. Kemp's impact is still felt by the program and the team continues to hold him close in its heart, as he will never be forgotten.
"We will still have Alex on our minds throughout the season," said Lopez. "Everyone wants to keep Alex's memory and example strong within our group, both men and women. We continue to miss him dearly and will be running for him, looking for the joy and competitiveness he brought to the team every day."
Bradley St. Laurent '26 added, "The Williams' cross country program is forever changed due to the loss of our friend and teammate, Alex. Though we have always prioritized fostering a healthy and unified team culture, the emphasis on this front will only be increased, while also remembering Alex in any ways we can and ensuring he will always be a part of our team. We know that one of the best ways that we can honor Alex is to continue being the best team we can be on and off the course."
The unit will also travel to Keene State (Oct. 4), Westfield State (Oct. 11) and Connecticut College (Oct. 18), and then the group will turn its attention to championship season. The NESCAC Championship will be hosted by Connecticut College on Saturday, Nov. 1, at Harkness Memorial State Park in Waterford, Connecticut.
The NCAA Regional meet is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 15, with St. Lawrence University serving as the host at the Ronald C. Hoffmann Cross Country Course in Canton, New York, and then the NCAA Championship will be held by Converse University on Saturday, Nov. 22, at Milliken Research Park in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Additionally, the USATF New England Championship takes place on Sunday, Nov. 9, at Highland Park in Attleboro, Massachusetts.
"Competition-wise, this season is different than in past years," said
Rick Yanashita '26. "As of now, our roster does not have a clear NESCAC favorite in terms of the individual champion, but we believe we have as deep a roster as ever. We have student-athletes from every class who have been training diligently and cannot wait to put on the cow print this season. We will be looking to this depth to take us far into the postseason. The Williams' cross country program has a strong legacy when it comes to competition, with both the men's and women's teams looking to win NESCAC titles for the sixth consecutive year. We are excited for the season and cannot wait to be back in the Purple Valley."
The Ephs return captains St. Laurent and Yanashita,
Blake Biever '26,
Nikhil DeNatale '26,
Ryan Hardiman '26,
Zachary Liu-Walter '26,
Luke Zanuck '26,
Henry Alexander '27,
Avery Allen '27,
Duncan DeProfio '27,
Ethan Striff-Cave '27,
Rex Bedwick '28,
Charlie Dybala '28,
Keiyu Mamiya '28,
Jackson McFerron '28,
Emil Nelson '28,
Malcolm Oakes '28,
Henry Reinke '28 and
Eli Welch '28. Williams welcomes
Gavin Engtrakul '29,
Alexander Friedman '29,
Andrew Kolenski '29,
Luis Angel Mendoza '29,
Liam O'Connor '29 and
Timothy Zwall '29.
Stephanie Mauer,
Mike Blair and
Barb Grossov return as assistant coaches.
Last season, Namiot received a plethora of awards, being named NESCAC Men's Most Outstanding Performer, along with earning All-Conference First Team, All-American, All-Region, All-New England and two NESCAC Runner of the Week honors. He placed first at the conference championship, second at the NCAA Regional and seventh during the national championship. Mamiya was named NESCAC Men's Rookie of the Year and Hardiman earned All-Conference Second Team laurels, while Lopez, Mauer, Blair and Grossov garnered the conference's Coaching Staff of the Year honor.
During the regional event, Oakes, Yanashita, Zanuck, Mamiya, Kemp and Hardiman collected All-Region and All-New England recognition. Williams also performed exceptionally well in the classroom, earning U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association All-Academic Team honors, while Hardiman, Mamiya, Namiot, Oakes, Yanashita, Zanuck and Kemp were named All-Academic Athletes.
"Two of the key aspects we hope to focus on this year are presence and being intentional," said Yanashita. "We want to develop a team culture that continues to stress the importance of focusing on each part of the process, including workouts and team meetings, but also other details such as rest and recovery, nutrition, quality warmup drills before easy runs and so on. In other words, by creating an environment where we are mindful of each part, the season at large will develop into something we can be proud of."
