Granville, Ohio- After a seventh-place finish last year at the North Coast Athletic Conference Championship, the Big Red will kick off its season this Friday on Aug. 29, at the Port Kenyon Opener hosted by Kenyon College.

2024 Season Recap

The Big Red started off the season coming in fourth place at the Port Kenyon Opener. Nathan Bertman led the way as he finished 15th with a time of 20:39.8. The team finished 10th out of 22 teams in the Ohio Wesleyan University Invitational, where Bertman ran 27:11.1 and finished 46th, while Nico Martinelli was right behind him at 47th with a time of 27:14.7. At the Connecticut College Invitational, the team finished 32nd with Phinnigan Spindler leading the Big Red with a time of 26:53.1 before the NCAC Championship. In the championship hosted by DePauw University, the team finished seventh, with Bertman finishing 22nd with a time of 27:48.7. At the Great Lakes Regional, the team concluded the season by finishing 26th out of 42 teams competing.

Returners

The team graduated five seniors; however, it brings in nine first-years to round out a roster that includes some key young pieces returning to the squad. Noah Cyr returns for his senior year after only competing in one event last season. He is a two-time First Team All-NCAC honoree and was named 2022 NCAC Newcomer of the Year. He ran his best time at the 2023 Great Lakes Regional with a time of 24:57.2.

Some of the top performers for the Big Red last season were rising sophomores Hudson Jones and Phinnigan Spindler. Jones, who placed 37th at the NCAC Championship, ran his best times in the 6k, placing 44th at the Port Kenyon Opener. Spindler finished 42nd at the NCAC Championship and recorded solid times in the 6k and 8k over the course of the season. Also returning are seniors Elijah Van Farowe and Oliver DiCerbo. Van Farowe and DiCerbo are both Denison Top-50 Scholar Athletes. Juniors Cole Clodgo and Jonah Waltz return as well.

Looking at the Schedule

The team will compete in five events before the NCAC Championship. The Big Red will head out to Kenyon Aug. 29 for the Port Kenyon Opener before heading to Otterbein University on Sept. 13 for the Otterbein Invite. They will then travel to Allegheny College for the Allegheny Classic on Sept. 20, and on Oct. 3, head to rival Ohio Wesleyan University for the OWU Invitational. They conclude the regular season at Augustana College for the Augustana Interregional Invitational on October 18, before the NCAC Championship, held at Kenyon College on November 1.