Bulldog Cross Country Strides to the Finish of Another Season

The Bulldog cross country team wrapped up its 2025 fall season with the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Regionals culminated a season that was full of ups and downs on both the men’s and women’s teams. New training techniques, injuries and spotty course conditions led to a frustrating, but promising, ending to new head coach Thomas Whittaker’s first season with the Bulldogs. 

 

The men’s team started the year at a  good pace but sputtered to a halt in the final four meets of the season. Injuries were a big problem for the Bulldog runners. Their number one, senior Gavin Hill, went down with a piriformis injury early and was out for the season. Lead pack runners sophomores Andrew Kuntz and Andrew Gonski also struggled with intermittent injuries throughout the season, putting a damper on the Bulldogs’ ability to navigate the pack. 

 

On the women’s side, however, there was more promise — the Dogs consistently finished in the top five at meets and even won the Brian T Simpson Invitational in October. A tight top five runners, including senior Cora Stimpson, senior McKenna Ledgerwood, sophomore Clare Stahr, freshman Anna Ripley and sophomore Phoebe Canatsey led the Bulldogs to a win in a year with so many changes to the program. 

Seniors McKenna Ledgerwood and Jake Gutzman both agreed that, although they were a little apprehensive when Whittaker was hired a week into the season, they were impressed by his prior accomplishments and the new rigor he brought to practice. Ledgerwood said that the increased workload in practice has really allowed her to feel more confident at meets.

 

 “I’ve really liked [more intense practices] because I know going into a race that nothing I will feel in that race will be a surprise,” said Ledgerwood. “It won’t be as bad, I’ve already felt that type of pain in practice. So, it’s made me a lot mentally tougher in races and just able to realize that I had more.”

 

Ledgerwood also said that the program has had an increased focus on lifting to help build quick twitch muscles and overall strength so that the Bulldogs can stay healthy the entire season. 

The new strength training regimen stuck with freshmen from both the women’s and men’s teams. Late in the season, both teams had impressive surges from new runners who made important contributions to the team. Gutzman said he was excited for this freshman class to grow in the future.

 

“This freshman pack coming through is going to be really something to watch over the next couple of years,” Gutzman said.”They seem really focused and they are so consistent.”

 

While the Dogs have experienced some growing pains this season, the sentiment is that Whittaker is building a program with real potential in Kirksville and that an infusion of new training techniques will make them even more competitive next year.