On Saturday, Oct. 4, less than a mile away from campus at the Veterans Memorial Golf Course, Whitman cross country runners took off to cheers from supporters around the course. Against heavy-hitting Division I schools like Gonzaga University, Montana State University and Eastern Washington University, the Blues raced in the Whitman Open — Whitman cross country’s lone home event — and achieved their highest placements of the year. The men’s and women’s teams placed No. 4 and No. 5, respectively.
As the men’s race began, the crowd displayed a great sense of enthusiasm and pride, cheering as Whitman athletes passed by on the course. The men’s No. 4 finish was highlighted by performances from key athletes like junior Jack McManus and senior Danny Steinberg, who placed 17th and 32nd, respectively.
Though McManus and Steinberg’s performances headlined the day for the men’s squad, the Blues’ new members gave the team another reason to celebrate.
McManus praised these younger athletes as the special force driving the team to excel.
“They [could run] a certain time last week,” McManus said, “but they could be a totally different athlete this week, so there’s so much potential and excitement in those younger athletes.”
McManus reflected on the similar journey he undertook during his first year to continually progress athletically. He expressed optimism about the large group of new cross-country athletes this year, who are also striving for the same goal.
First-year Alex Yee expressed his gratitude for the team’s sizable first-year contingent and how the team community makes him feel more at home at Whitman.
“We have a set of values that we always try to strive for: intentionality, honor [and] love, whether it’s the first race or the last race,” Yee said.
After the men’s race, the women’s cross country team competed, placing No. 5 for their best score this season. Ella Harrington, who finished fourth, led the Blues in her first season with the team.
Harrington, who has played lacrosse at Whitman since her first year and has joined the cross country team for her sophomore year, commented on her standout race.
“Today was really fun,” Harrington said. “I was pretty nervous this morning because I’ve been catching the fall cold that’s going around, so I thought that I was going to be [too sick], but the race went really well.”
Harrington reiterated the cross-country team’s inviting community.
“I think what’s really special about cross country and running is the time we spend together,” Harrington said. “The long runs, the hard workouts, the hot days when we were here in August and all of the conversations I’ve had with people on the team. It’s a really diverse and unique group of people who are all very kind and funny.”
Other newcomers are making an impact on the team as well. Brenna Mack, a junior and cross country team member for all three of her years at Whitman, raved about the first-years on the women’s squad.
“All our … freshmen are doing amazing,” Mack said. “They’re crushing it. They all made big-time drops today.”
For Coach Scott Shields, the tight-knit community that this year’s cross country roster has formed has paid dividends in improving the team’s athletic performance.
“They’re a wonderful group of individuals that have clicked together as great friends,” Shields said. “They’re doing more stuff outside of practice this year than they have in the past.”
Whitman cross country graduated 15 members last year, so the concern for the team coming into the 2025-26 season was establishing athletic continuity with a largely different set of athletes.
“It was a fascinating transition for us,” Shields said. “We luckily brought in a big group of 15 [this year], so now, all of the sudden, your team goes from being really old to being really young the next year, and you really don’t know what you’re going to get.”
Now, thanks to a solid showing at the Whitman Open, the team should have a better idea of what it’s going to get – steady leadership from its returners and a boost of energy from its newcomers. Yee and Harrington’s performances in particular are indication enough that, when it comes to competing at a high level, the next class of Whitman runners is already off to the races.
