All Hands on Deck, Cross Country Team's Philosophy Helps Gulls Reach New Heights

Written by Kaileigh Grieb '25
- Endicott Athletics Student Beat Writer

BEVERLY, Mass. — In the realm of sports, where team dynamics often take center stage, cross country finds itself in more of a unique scenario—a seemingly solo sport that thrives on collective strength. But, at Endicott, this sport is defined by the power of unity, camaraderie, and a shared determination among the tight-knit program.

Endicott College's cross country teams had themselves quite the monumental seasons this past fall. Under the guidance of head coach Spencer Lange and assistant coach Rylee Gillen, both the men's and women's programs left quite an impression throughout the region.

On the men's side, the team ranked 16th overall out of 34 programs at the NCAA Division III East Regional Championship and fourth in the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Championship.

The women's team was even more impressive, earning its first-ever regional ranking, the highest regional ranking in program history (8th), a tie for the best finish ever at the CCC Championship (2nd), and a ninth place performance out of 34 programs at Regionals.

Sitting down with Lange and Gillen, there was much to unpack about the 2023 season, and both coaches were quick to point out the major improvements across the board for many of their runners.

They brought to light their coaching style, on what made this season so impactful for each of their runners, and placed major emphasis on the fact that every runner in their program plays a key role in getting to the next level, no matter where they're positioned in the pack.

"We really emphasize the all hands on deck mentality, making sure that everybody truly wants to be there. That starts from the recruiting process with the language that we use, we want people who want to be here, we're not going to convince anybody to love the sport, that's got to come from within. If you can surround yourself with people who want to be there, then you're going to enjoy being at practice, which is going to make it more fun and you're going to be willing to go to bat for each other," reflected Lange on describing his successful coaching style.

But beyond the individual performances of each runner, Lange and Gillen hammer in the mentality that their runners can only be as good as their teammates, a solid team culture forms a foundation for a solid successful season.

"One of the keys we emphasize is that it's a full team sport. Everybody plays a role in who we are so your fifth runner matters just as much as your top runner or runner X does," said Lange.

Teammates become a support system, and allies in the battle against fatigue and self-doubt. It's easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the rough terrain that's thrown at these runners, but not once did they put their egos ahead of their counterparts come race time.

"That's what we say from day one. It doesn't matter if you're a freshman, senior, grad student, or transfer, we're all held to the same standard. We're all on the same playing field. And we've got to be open to that. If we were like 'Freshmen, you do that, or you can't do this,' I just don't see any value in that philosophy and it doesn't lead to anything good. So, you develop those solid relationships and allow them to grow. That's the stuff that's going to last beyond your four years here," emphasized Lange.

Men's Cross Country

As Lange had previously stated, beyond the physical demands that define a cross country team, the men's team exemplifies the spirit of unity. Together, they face the challenges of the course with determination, encouraging one another to push beyond their limits. The bond forged through shared sweat and triumphs is what sets this team apart.

Freshman Jon Rodrigues (Walpole, Mass.) took Lange's words to heart in his first season with the Gulls. Rodrigues explained how different his college experience would be if he didn't have an entire roster of talented runners to fall back on for support both on and off race days.

Being a freshman, the transition from moving away from home and becoming a student-athlete can place a lot of pressure on anyone. But, Rodrigues said that's been anything but the case with the cross country team.

"Joining this team was probably one of the best decisions I have ever made. I've had the opportunity to meet all these people who are upperclassmen and half of my friends are on the team. I probably wouldn't have had the same experiences as I do now if I wasn't on the team," said Rodrigues.

Rodrigues initially harbored uncertainty about Lange's suggestion to depend heavily on his teammates, but he ended up leaning on his teammates more as friends than anything else.

"Being on a team is one of the best things you can do. I wanted to go to a school that had a good cross country program because it was so helpful. I had kids on the team help me pick my classes, and give me tours around the school. Having friends on the team helped me feel like I was a part of a group."

The same goes for junior Dominick McDonough (Woburn, Mass.) who stressed the importance of a solid team dynamic that truly can make or break a team.

"We have a very good [team] dynamic. I would describe us as a very close team and close group. We're there to support each other, whether that be with athletics or academics," McDonough said.

The closeness of this team is seen from all corners of campus, you never see one runner wondering on their own for long before one of their teammates quickly joins them.

But, both McDonough and Rodrigues both mentioned a fellow teammate of theirs who went above and beyond this season. Breaking records and keeping his head on straight for his team all at the same time.

That runner who emerged from the pack and left a lasting impression on the rest of the team is none other than junior Josh Lehmann (Gorham, Maine.).

At the NCAA Division III East Regionals on November 12, Lehmann placed 35th overall in the meet with a time of 25:55 on the 8-kilometer course, which was both a personal and school record.

Lehmann's performance also earned him United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Region honors. He is the first and only student-athlete in men's or women's cross country program history to receive the honor.

"I placed third at our conference meet and I placed 35th at our regional meet. Last year, I placed sixth at our conference meet and 100th at regionals. So, that was a pretty big jump right there. It wasn't a great race last year at regionals, so take that with a grain of salt," reflected Lehmann. "But I've just been testing out stuff that's anywhere from eating right, drinking enough water, to sleeping my eight hours throughout the season. That was huge [for me]."     

Support for Lehmann has been felt all around the program, especially from Coach Lange, who couldn't stop singing high praises to the young runner.

"He's shown such a dedication to his work. He's tried to find ways to increase his training volume and do different workouts. We've had a ton of conversations with him about what he wants to work on, what his goals are, and how we can get there. He's just relentless in that pursuit to get there and this year was just a huge breakthrough for him," said Lange.

But, in classic Lehmann fashion, he refused to hone in further on his stats. He continued to bring the conversation back to his teammates, further affirming the way they all described him — humble, courteous, and a team player,

"The whole team's a family and it's great to be able to lean on anyone at any particular moment. That's always nice. Everyone's door's always open like people are just happy to help which is a great feeling and in such a lonely sport at times," said Lehmann on his time with the team.

The Endicott men's cross country team is not just a group of runners, it's a collective force united to celebrate achievements, overcome challenges, and etch their names in the record books of the program.

Women's Cross Country

The Endicott women's cross country team was a force to be reckoned with this season. They ended their season being ranked No. 9 overall in the USTFCCCA East Regional Rankings following standout performances at the conference and regional meets.

One of the leaders behind the women's program's successes was junior captain Hannah Risko (Albany, N.Y.).

"She's one [runner] that had huge breakthroughs at the end of the season, which is the best thing you can hope for somebody to experience. She has been super, super consistent in our training. We joke that she's like the metronome because we'll prescribe the rep, give her a pace, and she'll just like, nail it, nail it, nail it, nail it,'" laughed Gillen.

Beyond her exceptional running abilities, Risko embodies the qualities of a true leader. She possesses a strong work ethic, a positive attitude, and a genuine commitment to supporting her teammates. Risko's leadership skills undoubtedly elevated the team dynamic this fall and inspired every single runner to reach new heights.

"I have always been a leader throughout my athletic career, like middle school, high school, all of that, and I think that Coach Lange just saw that some of my characteristics would help direct the team. I've loved being a captain, it's always kind of suited me to be able to be that person that other girls look to, and even some of the guys when they need it," reflected Risko on her time being captain. "But, I think it helps to have a person that's come outside of the running community because I never did cross country or track throughout high school. So, I think some of the leadership skills I've learned, from other team sports, have really changed us for the better."

Originally a member of the field hockey team in the fall of her freshman year, Risko decided to make the transition to cross country following her willingness to give track and field a shot in the spring season that year.

"I played field hockey in my freshman year in the fall and cross country often practices at the same time as field hockey, right on North Field. It was kind of a matter of Coach Cips [Cipolla], the field hockey [head] coach, saying to Coach Lange, 'I have this girl, she seems really fast.' I kind of excelled in the conditioning part of field hockey, so that's how I got myself placed on track and field our spring freshman year and then after that spring, I just kind of realized that I liked the community of running at Endicott a lot — it suited my personality well. I came out of my shell a lot more that spring. So, I decided to take the route of cross country instead of field hockey [the following fall]," Risko reflected.

But, Risko isn't the only former field hockey player turned cross country star. An unlikely sophomore stepped up to the plate this season and broke some long-standing program records along the way.

Cailin Lawlor (Wrentham, Mass.) made quite a reputation for herself, and the Gulls, in her first season running cross country. Winning CCC Rookie of the Week twice and then ending her season being named CCC Rookie of the Year.

"Cailin (Lawlor) just loves running which I think is important for cross country to just really love what you're doing. As soon as she finishes her races, she's like, running up and down the finish, cheering everybody on. 'Aren't you tired?' But I think she's super energized by seeing her teammates succeed as well," said Gillen.

Like Risko, Lawlor also found herself transitioning from Endicott's field hockey program to cross country, and with Risko, she found comfort in having someone to relate to.

Risko also knew it would be a great fit.

"When I found out that she was going to be joining us last spring, I was excited. I felt that she was someone that I was going to be able to relate to, and like me, she had never run cross country before. We touched base a couple of times over the summer to discuss training, team expectations, and stuff like that. From the second she joined us, she was so eager to learn the ways of a new program here, and every practice, she just showed up with an energy like you can't even imagine."

Lawlor found herself in the center of a welcoming environment in her transition from field hockey to cross country, although she was thankful for her time on the field, but she said she was ready for a change.

"I wanted to reinvent myself. So, I started running a lot and reached out to Coach Lange. The team was so welcoming. I came in with an open mindset knowing that this was going to be totally new so I gave it my all and I did everything I could," said Lawlor.

And to say she gave it her all was an understatement. Lawlor made herself known, eventually becoming the top runner on the team.

With her mindset of going in and just doing her best, Lawlor was able to focus on getting better each day versus worrying about how the season would pan out.

To her surprise, Lawlor was named CCC Rookie of the Year.

"Coach sent me the link and said, 'Congrats rookie!', and I was like 'Oh, my gosh! I was not expecting that!'. I was not expecting to have such a good season, but it was really rewarding because I put in a lot of hard work over the summer. It paid off, but it's a lot of work," laughed Lawlor.

But, Lawlor's work ethic doesn't stop just because their season is done.

This upcoming April, Lawlor set her sights on representing Brigham and Women's Hospital on the Stepping Strong Team, in the prestigious Boston Marathon.

In the summer, Lawlor would train by running up to 50 miles a week doing long runs, creating an eventual base of 60 miles per week, headed into the cross country season.

Although much training goes into prepping for a marathon such as Boston, she doesn't let it interfere with her dedication to the Gulls emphasizing that the team comes before her own individual gain.

"I reached out to Brigham and Women's and they gave me a bib number and I knew that was my one chance I wanted to do it. But, I had to keep in mind that I wanted to do really well and put cross country first and then have the marathon on the back burner."

Needless to say, Lawlor's coaches and teammates are excited to see what's next for the young runner this coming April as she competes in the marathon of a lifetime.

Upon speaking to the team, it's a given that cross country races may be won by the first to cross the finish line, but victories are shared by the entire team. It's a celebration of both personal resilience and the strength drawn from the support of teammates, a blend that makes cross country not just a race against the clock but a shared journey toward excellence among talented runners.

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(Photo Credit - David Le '10)