The Aquinas cross country teams enter the 2026 season fit and ready to run some personal records (PRs) in the 5K. The vast majority of the team put in serious training over the summer, with most runners logging between 150 and 300 miles from June through August. Training included some of the toughest hills in North Park and long runs ranging from 8 to 14 miles, depending on experience level. In cross country, consistent and patient training is the key to improvement, and this year's runners have been models of consistency. The team is also very young. The girls have one senior and one junior, while the boys have one junior. The rest of both teams are made up of sophomores and freshmen. Both the present and the future are bright for the Crusaders. The team culture has also been a major strength. Senior captain Tess Austin provides leadership for a group that combines hard work with a fun and positive atmosphere. The runners compete hard during workouts and races while supporting one another throughout the season. GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY Despite losing their top two runners from last season, the girls team has the potential to improve on its eighth-place WPIAL finish from 2025. Two freshmen will be runners to watch. Alexandra Robinson is coming off an outstanding eighth-grade track season and has the talent to compete for a high finish at the WPIAL Championship. Rachel Sauber had an outstanding summer of training and has shown significant improvement in a short period of time. A close group of Lizzy Austin, Tess Austin and Alaina Howes will be important to the team's success. All three appear ready to make significant improvements over last season's times, and running together as a pack will be important to keeping the team's score low. Junior Morgan Long and sophomore Alegria Sisto have also been showing well in workouts and are expected to make big improvements this season. "I expect a really strong season from the girls," said Head Coach Mike Grese. "They've put in the work to expect some significant PRs and continued team success." BOYS CROSS COUNTRY The boys team also lost one of its top runners from last season, Brad Moore, but the Crusaders return a strong group of sophomores while adding several talented freshmen. Sophomore Andrew Deem and freshmen Max Predis and Isaac Vangura appear to be competing for the team's top spot. The trio has pushed each other throughout the preseason while maintaining a strong team-first attitude. "They compete hard against each other in workouts, but as soon as the workout is done, they're the best of friends," Grese said. "Each is more concerned about the team than individual accolades." All three runners have also put in significant mileage and have continued to improve. Grese believes each has the potential to break Aquinas' current school record in the 5K and potentially qualify individually for the state meet. Sophomore Roman Spagnolo spent the summer rehabbing an ankle injury but is quickly rounding back into form. He hopes to compete with the current top three and is also aiming for a potential state-meet qualification. Giancarlo Josephs was one of the team's most improved runners last season and has continued to get faster. He will be an important part of the team's success. Several other underclassmen are also improving and could push for a spot in the team's top five. Lucas Kibler has embraced hill training and has made significant strides during the preseason. Newcomer Regan Carroll has already shown natural talent and mental toughness. Junior Peter Koble has taken an analytical approach to his training and continues to monitor his aerobic development. His improvement has been obvious, and he could drop significant time from his 5K PR this season. Freshman David Howes has been the team's most improved runner over the summer, while Luke Schellhaas continues to work through injuries. Once healthy, Schellhaas is expected to see his 5K times drop quickly. LOOKING AHEAD The boys have their sights set on a historic season. The team hopes to earn one of the three team qualifying spots for the PIAA State Championship by finishing in the top three at the WPIAL Championship. Several strong Class 1A teams will be competing for those same spots, including Eden Christian, OLSH, Riverview, Neshannock, South Side and Winchester Thurston. "There’s a really good chance for this young group to do something special," Grese said. "We plan to run our hardest this season and let the chips fall where they may." The Crusaders will also compete against a mix of Class 1A and Class 2A schools during the regular season. While section competition is not as significant in cross country as it is in some other sports, Aquinas expects to compete near the top of the section and use each meet to prepare for the WPIAL Championship. With a young roster, a strong summer of training and a team-first culture, both the boys and girls teams are looking forward to a successful 2026 season. Watch the 2026 Aquinas Cross Country Season Preview: https://youtu.be/uSrgTkcZlZY Follow Aquinas Athletics on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aquinascrusaders/ Follow Aquinas Athletics on X: https://x.com/AquinasAD For the latest Aquinas Academy Athletics news, schedules, results and more, visit AquinasCrusaders.org.