The men’s cross country team is back and, according to head coach Norm Ogilvie, “better than ever.”
That is a powerful statement considering the Blue Devils are coming off an undefeated regular season, including their first-ever win at the Roy Griak Invitational and their third-consecutive IC4A title. Even though the team graduated several outstanding runners in May, such as Bo Waggoner, four-time team Most Valuable Player, as well as school-record holder Josh Lund, both Ogilvie and his runners insist that this year, the program will rise to a new level.
“I don’t think you could really say we can replace [the seniors] because we did lose some people that were incredible,” senior Stephen Clark said. “But we all bring something to the table.”
As the team gets ready to start off another season, its mood is definitely optimistic. With a stellar freshman class including Alex Klassen, Nate McClafferty, Morgan Pearson, Brain Schoepfer and Shaun Thompson, the returning juniors and seniors will be pushed harder than ever to maintain their top spots.
“Our big goal this year is to have a better showing at the NCAA Championships,” Ogilvie said. “We think we’re capable of a top-15 national finish and to do that we’re going to have to run very well and stay healthy.... But we think we have all the ingredients in place in terms of personnel and experience. We have a very good freshman class that’s arrived.”
The fact that the team’s overall goal is higher placement at the NCAA Championships says a lot about how far it has come. As recently as two years ago, the goal had simply been to make it to the national championship meet. And that isn’t the only goal the Blue Devils are eyeing this season. After gaining confidence and proving themselves last year by achieving their first-ever automatic bid to the national meet, this year, the Duke men are looking to place a runner in the top ten at regionals.
Part of the Blue Devils’ confidence that they can make these goals a reality comes from the leadership of the returning seniors, four of whom have experience running in the NCAA meet, as well as strength among returning juniors. But as both Ogilvie and the athletes stressed, the new freshmen class is eager to play a large role this year, and provides plenty of talent.
“They’re fitting in very well,” Ogilvie said. “I think that’s a big part of our success, getting great young men who have basically got two passions in life. One is academics and one is running, fast and far. And they seem to do a good job of that.”
With the first meet of the season, the N.C. Central Dual, coming up in just two days, as well as tough competition later on from ACC schools like Florida State and N.C. State, the Blue Devils will have a chance this season to show that their hard work and talent are paying off.
“I think we can do great things,” Ogilvie said.
With heightened expectations, though, “great things” are harder to come by than ever before.
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