GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Ahead of the 2023 season, the Davenport University cross country teams embark on their 16th season in program history with all-time head coach
Scott Cook leading the charge once more.
"Every year you have a new crop of kids, I think there's excitement around that," Cook said in regards to why he continues coaching after so many years. "I didn't come here to just have a good team...(it) was to build a good program."
The men's team finished eighth out of all nine teams in the 2022 GLIAC Championships, as the women's team placed seventh overall out of 10.
A senior at the time, upcoming graduate runner
Erin Dorn finished 20th out of 103 women's runners in the GLIAC Championships, giving her a Second Team All-GLIAC honor. Leading DU at the 2022 NCAA Midwest Regional Championships with a placement of 43rd out of 214, Dorn brings the most experience for the Panthers this year as a three-time GLIAC All-Academic Excellence honoree (2020-2022).
Dorn is joined by an extensive list of women's upperclassmen, including juniors
Cierra Guay,
Claire Akin,
Grace Buckland,
Molly Dailey, and
Riley Schroeder - all of which were among the 10 women's runners named to the 2022 GLIAC All-Academic Excellence Team last season.
Senior
TJ Moore will be the most experienced men's runner this year amongst a top heavy upperclassmen list for the men's team. 2022 GLIAC All-Academic Excellence honorees
Garrett Melling and
Caden Hoezee are two of six juniors, with
Drew Sharrar and
Matthew Nowak joining that list as well.
Five true freshmen also join the Panthers as they split across the men's (three) and women's (two) teams, including two sophomores and one redshirt freshman.
The 2023 GLIAC Men's and Women's Cross Country Preseason Polls listed the Panthers at No. 8 in their respective polls. With that, Cook believes this could be one of the top seasons he's ever been a part of.
"I think this group, both the men's and women's squad, have the best chance of being the best team we've ever had," Cook said. "I think we've had great teams here...but they have a chance to be good...we're going to be pretty good."
