BOULDER — The University of Colorado cross country program enters its second season under Director of Cross Country and Track and Field
Sean Carlson, with momentum building on both the men’s and women’s sides.
Carlson, who arrived just before the 2024 season, had to quickly assemble a squad during his first year at the helm. Despite the late transition, the men’s team qualified for their 32nd consecutive NCAA Championship placing 19th. Jessie Secor qualified individually on the women’s side for the 2024 NCAA Cross Country National Championship.
The 2025 Buffs boast a deeper, more balanced roster with 10 returning men and seven newcomers, while the women return eight and welcome nine new faces. The freshman and transfer classes include state champions, Gatorade National and State Players of the Year, and multiple NCAA veterans.
2025 TEAM OUTLOOK
On the women’s side, the roster has undergone significant changes, and Coach Carlson anticipates meaningful progress from a reenergized group that blends talented freshmen with experienced transfers. “We believe this team is positioned to take a strong step forward,” Carlson said. “With so many new faces, aside from a few key returners, building our culture and team identity will be an ongoing focus, but we’re optimistic about the direction we’re headed.”
Key returners include Natalie Cook, a Gatorade National Player of the Year; Abbey Nechanicky, a former Foot Locker All-American; and NCAA qualifier Jessie Secor. They’re joined by impactful transfers such as Ashley Jones (Tennessee/High Point) and Addison Dorenkamp (Alabama), Mia Larochelle (Canada), Juliette Forstrom (Portland) as well as top U.S. and international prep talent.
“We’ve been intentional with recruiting,” Carlson said. “Now we have a group that not only has the talent, but also understands what’s expected, from both a performance and lifestyle perspective.”
On the men’s side, the outlook is strong thanks to a core of returning athletes and two strategic transfers.
“It’s kind of the opposite on the men’s side,” Carlson said. “We bring back a lot of solid guys who have hopefully developed over the past year. The returners bring consistency and depth, and our freshmen are talented, we’re excited about their future.”
Dominic Serem (MAC individual champion) and Kansas transfer Tanner Newkirk are expected to make an immediate impact, while returners like James Overberg, Isaiah Givens, and Kole Mathison bring veteran leadership. The Buffs also added standout prep talents including TJ Hansen, a top-10 finisher and runner-up at Nike Cross Nationals, along with Jack Graffeo, Keegan Smith, and Trey Caldwell, who placed 3rd, 5th, and 12th respectively at the Foot Locker Cross Country Nationals.
“Every single guy has improved over the last year, their PRs speak for themselves,” Carlson said. “We’re focused on development, culture, and building on the legacy of Colorado distance running.”
The Buffs open the season on Aug. 29 at the Wyoming Invite before competing in several meets across Colorado and the Midwest. The postseason begins Oct. 31 at the Big 12 Championships in Lawrence, Kan., where the Buffs return to Rim Rock Farm, the site of their 2006 conference sweep.
2025 SCHEDULE
NEW STAFF ADDITION
The Buffs welcome Ellen Hurst as Associate Head Coach and Director of Operations for Cross Country and Track & Field. Hurst arrives after nine seasons at Tennessee, where she served as the Director of Operations. A former All-American hurdler, she brings elite experience to the Buffs.
She will assist with Track & Field and Cross Country travel, logistics, program operations, and coaching joining assistant coaches Kate Mattison, Dalton Hengst, and Val Constien under Carlson’s leadership.
Q&A WITH SEAN CARLSON
Q1: Now that you’ve had a full year to implement your vision, how would you describe the identity of this year’s team?
A1:
There are a lot of new faces on the women’s side as we’ve tried to retool the talent a bit. We’ve got a really inexperienced but talented group of freshmen, including a couple of top-20 Nike Nationals girls. We’ve also brought in several transfers who will add the kind of depth and talent we didn’t have last year.
Realistically, we’re going to be much improved. That said, it’s almost an entirely new roster aside from a few returners. So creating culture and team identity with this new group will be an ongoing process throughout the season. In cross country, there’s no adjustment period, they show up, and 10 weeks later it’s conference, regionals, and nationals.
We’ve definitely upgraded our talent and depth through recruiting. And we return a few key women — Jessie, Abby, and Hannah, who were already very good and will be even better. So, the women’s team is looking strong, very capable of getting back to the national meet, and if we stay healthy, in the top-20 teams.
Q2: How do you balance long-term development with high expectations for a historically successful program?
A2:
Balancing long-term development with the high expectations that come with a historically successful program is both a challenge and a responsibility we take seriously. When we arrived, the roster was relatively thin, so we had to be strategic and intentional in our recruiting approach. That meant building for the future by bringing in a strong freshman class, while also addressing immediate needs through key transfers.
The transfers have helped bridge the competitive gap and allowed us to be nationally relevant as our younger athletes develop. For example, two of our top three returners are transfers from last year, and aside from Abby, we don’t have many long-term returners. So, much of our current competitive depth has been rebuilt through targeted recruiting.
Our philosophy is to develop freshmen with a long-term view in mind, creating a foundation for sustained success. If a freshman is ready to contribute right away, that’s a bonus—but we’re careful not to put that expectation on them. We’re building a program that can compete now while continuing to grow for the future.
Q3: What’s your outlook for the men’s team, which returns a lot of strong contributors?
A3:
It’s kind of the opposite on the men’s side. We bring back a lot of solid guys who have hopefully developed over the past year. We’ve added Dominic, who could be a low-stick, and Tanner, who we expect to compete for a spot in the top seven. Those are our only two transfers.
The returners are known quantities who bring consistency and depth. The freshman class is very talented, but they’ll need to adjust to the 10K distance. If a freshman contributes, that’s a bonus — but we’re not relying on it. We’re focused on developing that group for the future. Overall, I’m very excited about the men.
Q4: What’s been the biggest shift or evolution since you arrived in Boulder?
A4:
Recruiting; That was the biggest and most immediate need. Over the past 30 years, international representation in the NCAA was relatively small. That’s changed drastically over the last two or three years. It’s far more competitive now, with older internationals and more transfers.
In the last two years, only one freshman has finished in the top 100 at Nationals, that’s unprecedented. So, the priority was getting our recruiting back to the level needed to perform, and now we have to ensure those recruits are developing and competing at that level.
Q5: What would define a successful season outside of results?
A5:
Success means continuing to build culture and identity — for both the men and women — while maintaining and evolving Colorado’s tradition in distance running.
Last year, the women’s team lacked depth, which made it tough to build culture. This year, with more athletes, I hope they can grow together, form bonds, and build something meaningful. The men had good culture already, now it’s about aligning that culture with our goals and translating it into results.
If we keep athletes healthy, happy, and engaged, the results will follow.
Q6: What stands out about this incoming recruiting class?
A6:
We were very intentional with recruiting. We looked for athletes whose values and goals aligned with ours, people who want to live the lifestyle of elite distance runners and compete for national titles and podium finishes.
We’ve been clear about those expectations in our messaging. So now we have a group that not only has the talent, but also understands what’s expected, from both a performance and lifestyle perspective.
We’ve got Foot Locker and Nike top-15 kids and transfers whose marks already rank in Colorado’s all-time top ten list. But more importantly, we’ve reinforced the culture we’re trying to build. With roster limits, we have to be intentional about who we bring in.
Q7: Which returners have stepped up as leaders this summer?
A7:
Abby and Jessie have grown a lot as leaders on the women’s side. They understand our system, our program, and our values. They’ll be key voices.
On the men’s side, James Overberg and Isaiah have stepped up in the same way. They’ve grown into leadership roles and understand the lifestyle we want to instill. Now they’re helping pass that along to the younger athletes.
Q8: Your roster now includes athletes from Colorado, Kenya, Ireland, and the UK. How do you unify such a diverse group?
A8:
We prioritize athletes who want to be here and who understand our mission. We didn’t target specific regions, we started in Colorado, expanded regionally, then nationally, and finally internationally. But the common thread is: do they want to be at Colorado?
If the top Colorado athlete doesn’t want to come, we’ll find the next best person in the U.S. or the world. We want people who want to be here and will prioritize Colorado.
The NCAA landscape has changed, there might be over 100 Kenyan athletes in the NCAA this year, up from 10–15 just a few years ago. The NCAA now has the same depth and talent as the pro circuit in some events, we are competing with some of the best in the world. We need to evolve with that.
Yes, we’ll always prioritize Colorado kids and American-born athletes, but we’ll also do what it takes to stay nationally competitive.
Q9: What’s something fans or outsiders may not see that you’re really proud of?
A9:
Our men have developed extremely well. Every single guy has improved over the last year and their PRs speak for themselves. Same on the women’s side we’ve seen huge improvements.
Yes, we’re recruiting aggressively, but we’re also developing the athletes we already have. That’s the foundation of our program, helping our athletes grow and improve.
Q10: How do you build buy-in while reshaping the culture of a legacy program like Colorado?
A10:
We embrace the past, we lean into it. But we also make sure these athletes know they’re shaping the direction of the future.
Every championship team here had a unique identity. Our current team needs to grow into its own identity, too. That can’t be forced — it has to develop naturally, and we’re here to support and guide that growth.
Q11: With the Big 12 Championships returning to Rim Rock Farm, where CU swept titles in 2006, how do you use that for motivation?
A11:
Our conference is incredibly strong. Both the men’s and women’s national champions came from the Big 12 last year. Going into Nationals, we had the top three men’s teams and four of the top 15–20 women’s teams.
We use the conference meet as a national barometer. If we’re in the top four, we know we’re competitive nationally.
Are we going to win the Big 12 this year? Probably not. But we can definitely improve on last year’s finish and build momentum heading into Nationals.
As the 2025 season is set to get underway, the Buffs are poised to reassert themselves on the national stage. With a revitalized women’s squad, a deep and experienced men’s team, and a clear vision under Coach Carlson, Colorado is building toward sustained success. The journey begins on Aug. 29 in Cheyenne, with eyes set on Lawrence, Sacramento, Columbia, Mo. (national meet), and ultimately, a return to the NCAA podium.
