AUSTIN, Texas – St. Edward's men's cross country team announces its 2025 season schedule, kicking off on September 6 at the UT Tyler Cross Country Open. It will be the first season under new head coach Chase Rathke. 
 
The Hilltoppers open the season in Tyler, Texas, for the second consecutive year at Texas Rose Horse Park. St. Edward's men placed fourth out of nine teams last season, marking a return for Rathke, who coached at UT Tyler from 2018 to 2022. 
 
St. Edward's follows a week later in College Station at the Texas A&M Cross Country Invitational at the Watts Cross Country Course, where the Hilltoppers placed eighth out of 14 last season. The program's top finish is fourth out of eight teams in 2022.
 
On October 4, the Hilltoppers return to the Chile Pepper Festival after a year away from the annual Fayetteville, Arkansas, meet. This meet is the men's fifth Chile Pepper Festival, with a top finish of 17th out of 33 teams in 2022. 
 
St. Edward's follows on short rest with an October 11 meet at the DBU Old Glory Gallop at AP Ranch, which is also the site of the Lone Star Conference Championships on October 25. This year's NCAA South Central Regional is on November 8, in Pueblo, Colorado. 
 
The Hilltoppers are coming off the best season in modern program history, placing second in the LSC and graduating three all-conference performers. St. Edward's returns conference meet scorers HOGAN HEIKKINEN and ARLO GONZALES.