AUSTIN, Texas — St. Edward's cross country head coach Chase Rathke enters his second season with a roster far different from the one that anchored the program last season, graduating a senior class that rewrote the Hilltoppers' record books. 

The Hilltoppers return four runners on a nine-woman roster that includes four freshmen and a sophomore transfer from UT Dallas. And while this year's lineup is practically restarting from scratch, Rathke insists the expectations have not.
 
"Something I tell them every single year is the expectations won't change, no matter what we do," Rathke said. "Whether we return an entire roster, or bring in an entirely new one, the standard is the standard, and we're going to continue to push that." 
 
The Lone Star Conference selected St. Edward's seventh in its preseason poll, matching its finish during an injury-plagued season at the LSC Championships. That ending and the Hilltoppers' 2026 starting point do little to dim the improvements made across the roster last season, highlighted by a breakthrough season from graduating senior DELANEY LONG.
 
This year, ADRIANA YASMIN RODRIGUEZ looks to continue that trend with a similar leap entering her final season as a third-year senior.
 
Rodriguez arrived as a walk-on, looking to the program's upperclassmen to learn the ropes of collegiate cross country as a freshman. Now, she serves as the bridge connecting foundations and standards set last year to Rathke's first Hilltoppers recruiting class. 
 
"Last year, a lot of the teammates I looked up to as a freshman, who taught me how to do things, graduated. That last first practice was an emotional time," Rodriguez recalled. "Now, I'm the senior, and it's definitely a change, but I really enjoy taking on that role, inviting my teammates to run and things like that, and being more open in the community." 
 
Rodriguez's growth as a leader is mirrored by her improvement on the course and track. She broke 20 minutes in the 5K, setting a new personal best of 19:58.6, down almost three minutes from her 2024 time of 22:40.1. On the track, she placed sixth in the 10K at the Texas Relays with a time of 39:31.71. 
 
She credits her growth from walk-on to LSC Runner to Watch to Rathke. 
 
"The thing about great coaches is they want to see you succeed in life, and you can tell Coach Rathke doesn't just see you as an athlete; he sees you as a person," Rodriguez said. "We'll talk about my internship, classes, how I'm feeling about graduation, and that's one thing I really appreciate. He truly cares." 
 
VICTORIA HOYT, one of the other three third-year runners on the team, has seen similar growth working with Rathke. She competed at the LSC Championships in each of her first two seasons. She competed for the Hilltoppers at the NCAA Division II South Central Regional last year after improving her top 6K time from 24:37.4 in 2024 to 24:04.2 at the LSC Championships last year. As she's grown in confidence over the first two years, she says she's ready to run with more freedom than ever.
 
"I've run scared the last few years because college running is different," Hoyt said. "Injuries are always around the corner. Now, I just want to run without that fear and give it my all." 
 
As the younger sibling in her household, Hoyt has found her footing away from home. The biology pre-med student has maintained a 4.0 GPA while carrying a rigorous academic workload, including research using CRISPR to modify yeast to improve bioethanol production. She also volunteers as a medical translator at a free pediatric clinic and with the Breast Cancer Resource Center. 
 
Hoyt's impact reaches beyond the times she records. Her ability to balance competition, academics, research, and community service represents the well-rounded student-athlete the program wants its newcomers to follow. 
 
"I'm excited to be the upperclassman now," Hoyt said. "I'm the little sister in my family, so I never get to play that role. They're like my little sisters now. Especially with ABIGAIL PINON coming from my hometown." 
 
Pinon is part of an incoming class Rathke believes can contribute immediately. LSC Runner to Watch LILY BURTON headlines the freshmen after placing third in the 800 meters at the 2026 English Schools Championships and 24th at the English Schools Cross Country Championships. The Ipswich, Suffolk, native also set three school records, including two in the 800, and brings versatility from competing in the 400, 800, and 1,500 meters.
 
AVA BRILEY and EMMELINE SHAW round out the freshman class, while BRIANNE VASQUEZ joins the Hilltopers after a season at UT Dallas. SOFIA HERNANDEZ returns for her sophomore year, and Julia Gainar adds experience after competing at the LSC Championships and South Central Regional last fall. 
 
The challenge for Rathke is learning how all the pieces fit together. Recruiting offered an introduction to the newcomers, but daily training and competition will reveal how they respond to increased mileage, new teammates, and the demands surrounding collegiate running.
"In the recruiting process, you only get to know bits and pieces about what makes them tick," Rathke said. "After a few weeks in, you get a feel for some of the athletes. To me, that's always the adjustment and kind of getting the ball rolling."
 
St. Edward's begins that process Friday morning at the Floyd Farms Cross Country Invitational on a newly developed course outside Austin. The Hilltoppers and other area programs provided input during its development, and Rathke hopes it can eventually bring an LSC or regional championship to Central Texas.

The schedule builds gradually from there. St. Edward's travels to the Texas A&M Invitational on Sept. 11 before splitting its roster Oct. 3. Its top runners will compete at the Chile Pepper Festival in Fayetteville, Arkansas, while the program's depth runners race at the Southwestern Showdown in Georgetown.

Rodriguez has competed at Chile Pepper since high school and embraces its demanding combination of hills, heat, and limited shade. Rathke values the meet for another reason: its field gives the Hilltoppers an opportunity to see how they compare with conference, regional and national competition.

St. Edward's concludes the regular season at the DBU Old Glory Gallop on Oct. 17 before the LSC Championships on Nov. 7 in Lubbock. The NCAA South Central Regional will be contested on the same course two weeks later.

"Every meet is a stepping stone for conference," Rathke said. "That's where we're trying to peak and when we're trying to rock and roll."

The Hilltoppers will spend the season learning who can replace the production they lost, how quickly the newcomers can contribute, and which runners will embrace expanded responsibilities. Each answer will reveal something about the roster Rathke is building.

The standard was left in place by those who came before them. Carrying it forward now belongs to this group.