A year after placing second in the Lone Star Conference and graduating all three of its all-conference runners, the St. Edward's men's cross country team isn't worried about its drop to fourth in the 2025 LSC Preseason Polls.

"We're going to let the results be the results," says new head coach Chase Rathke. "From Day 1, it's about setting the standard and building the right culture. Trust the process, respect it, and go through it day by day—if you do that, the results take care of themselves."

The Hilltoppers are entering a transitional season after program cornerstones OMAR GUZMAN, IVAN GUZMAN, and DYLAN SEQUEIRA graduated, and top returner HOGAN HEIKKINEN redshirted. Only one of last year's top five finishers will toe the line this fall: sophomore ARLO GONZALES.

Gonzales returns after a strong freshman campaign that saw him named LSC Freshman Runner of the Week and score points at the conference championship, all while pacing the team's 10K squad in track. He credits a summer of hard training with the Guzmans and a smooth transition under Coach Rathke for setting the team up for success.

"Accountability is the word of the year," Gonzales says. "Everyone is already holding each other accountable—communicating about runs, pushing each other to get better."

Despite the roster's youth, leadership isn't lacking. Junior WILLIAM SULENTICH, recently elected President of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, leads by example on and off the course.

"I focus on doing the little things—hydration, stretching, representing the school the right way," Sulentich says. "Coach Rathke made the point: cross country is a team sport. Waking up at 5 a.m. to run miles isn't easy. But when your teammates are committed and reliable, it doesn't feel like work."

Sulentich's approach mirrors Rathke's philosophy of intentionality: doing everything with purpose.

"My catchphrase this year is 'one mile at a time,'" Sulentich says. "That applies to life, too—stay in the moment, control what you can."

The Hilltoppers also return senior AJ PENA, a consistent contributor in the 800 and mile, and graduate student BEN BAYLY, a strong 5K runner on the track.

"We lost some key pieces, but the returners are stepping up," Rathke says. "The leadership has been great, and it's been fun watching these guys grow together."

St. Edward's opens the season on September 6 at the UT Tyler Open, hosted by one of Rathke's former teams. Just a week later, they'll head to the Texas A&M Invitational on September 13.

Following a three-week training block, the team competes at the October 4 Chile Pepper Festival, the October 11 DBU Old Glory Gallop, and the Lone Star Conference Championships on October 25. From there, the postseason kicks off with the South Central Regional meet in Pueblo, Colorado, on November 8, and potentially, nationals in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on November 22.

It's a long road ahead for the Hilltoppers, but under Rathke's guidance and with a committed core, they're determined not to skip any steps.