Men's cross country has a long and proud legacy at Bucknell. Legendary head coach Art Gulden developed a program which, at one stretch, won 18 consecutive conference titles. The Bison haven't fallen into complete doldrums but the program's last finish in the top three came in 2018. Last season, the Orange & Blue placed sixth at the Patriot League Championships, but the squad rebounded for a nice 11th place finish at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regionals. If the Bison can harness that momentum and ride into 2025; the program can return to where it belongs in the conference hierarchy.
Head coach Kevin Donner mentioned what it will take for the Bison to reach that goal:
"It helps having a returning All-League member. We have greater depth this year. We are better than we were a year ago when we underperformed at leagues. The key, as always, remain healthy."
Bucknell has a pair of senior aces in Henry Didden and Trent Dinant. The duo race together as closely as their alphabetical placement on the team roster. Didden slotted 55th at the Mid-Atlantic Regional and kept cruising into the track & field season. He notched three event victories, including gold in the 5000-meter run at the 2025 Indoor IC4A Championships. He earned points in the 5000-meter run (sixth) and 10,000-meter run (fifth) at the 2025 Patriot League Outdoor Championships.
"Didden did a great job last year. He had a heck of a spring which will set him up nicely for this season."
Dinant, the local from State College, placed 60th at the Patriot League Championships, and while his track & field campaign did not reach Didden's heights, he collected two top six finishes.
The team's second dynamic duo rests in the sophomore class. Ethan Pratt-Perez blazed like a comet in his first year. The freshman finished 14th at the Patriot League Championships as the highest Bison runner and earned Second Team All-Patriot League honors. He placed 53rd at the Regionals, once again, proving the fastest Bison. Pratt-Perez upped his performance during the track & field season, posting eight top three placements, including two gold ducats. At the Patriot League Outdoor Championships, he shined for the distance crew, finishing fourth (4x800-meter relay) and seventh (3000-meter steeplechase).
David Carillo introduced himself to the conference with his 54th place finish at Leagues. Similar to his fellow distance frontrunners, he earned laurels during the track & field season, collecting six top two finishes, including two victories.
"Carillo made the travel squad last year as a freshman which is always a good sign. We expect continued progress from him as a sophomore."
The freshmen class is ready and hungry to replicate Carillo and Pratt-Perez's success. Cooper Hollinger has been tabbed the likely breakout star. His hometown of Lititz, Pennsylvania and high school of Warwick might suggest stardom. Bucknell's former star sprinter Meghan Quinn (the Warwick Winmaker), holder of nine school records and winner of multiple Patriot League gold medals, hailed from the same city. The Bison hope the talent lightning bolt struck twice in the fair city.
"Hollinger has the best resume out of our five talented freshmen runners."
The schedule sets up nicely for the Bison. The team opens this Friday at the Lehigh Open - giving the squad a chance to run the 2025 Patriot League Championships and NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional course. The Jasper and Youngtown State Invitationals will test Bucknell against potent regional and Midwest foes. The traditional and historical IC4A/ECAC Championships are on October 17. The Patriot League Championships will offer a special trick and treat on Halloween. The Mid-Atlantic Regionals are two weeks later.
The Patriot League "Big Three" of Army, Boston, and Navy figure again to dominate the proceedings. Navy blitzed to an easy title winning scoring 19 points and owning the five of the top six runners. Fortunately, three of those Midshipmen were seniors but, like the US aircraft carrier fleet, the Naval Academy has reserves, as the Mids placed two freshmen in last year's top ten. Army placed the three non-Navy runners in the top 12; a trio of juniors. Boston's best finisher ranked, 17th but before any vulnerability is detected, their other top runners return.
Like most athletic situations with narrow margins, it boils down to health. If the Bison can stay out of the sickbeds and on the course, the team has the chance to return to the top three for the first time since 2018. The talent and will are there for the Orange & Blue runners to reclaim their rightful heritage.