The 2022 Kalamazoo College men's cross country team will begin its season on September 10, competing in the Knight Invite at the Gainey Athletic Facility in Grand Rapids, Mich. The Hornets will look to improve on their eighth-place finish at the MIAA Championships in 2021. The runners reported on August 28 and began training on August 29, continuing until the season starts.
Schedule Breakdown
- The Knight Classic season opener will begin at 11 a.m. on September 10, hosted by Calvin.
- Kalamazoo will run in two meets at the Forest Akers Golf Course in the regular season, where NCAA DIII Nationals is located. The MSU Spartan Invite begins at 11:40 a.m. on September 16, and the NCAA DIII Pre-Nationals meet starts at 11:15 a.m. on October 1.
- The final regular season meet will be the Augustana College Invite in Rock Island, Ill., beginning at 11:15 a.m. CST on October 15.
- Alma is hosting the MIAA Championships at Shepard HS on October 29, with the race starting at 12 p.m.
- The NCAA DIII Great Lakes Regional meet will be run at the West Ottawa Golf Course on November 12, beginning at 12 p.m.
- On November 19, the NCAA DIII National Championships will head back to Forest Akers Golf Course at 12 p.m.
Roster Breakdown
- Kalamazoo brings back five runners from the 2021 squad and will add six new members for 11 total heading into 2022.
- The team has one junior, four sophomores, and six freshmen.
Returning Statistical Leaders
- Two top runners returning from last year are Garrick Hohm and Levi Thomas, who competed in their first collegiate season in 2021.
- Hohm finished 31st at the MIAA Championships with a season-best 28:49.4 8K.
- The other part of the duo is L. Thomas, who ran a 30:01.3 at the MIAA Championships in 47th.
- Patrick Dunfee and Keegan Reynolds also return to the Hornets as Dunfee's best time last year was 31:05.4, and Reynolds' was 32:20.6.
Stepping Up
- Will Thomas and Noah Eckenroth enter their first year as collegiate runners and could be the group's top runners with Hohm.
- Kyle Ackerson is another newcomer who could join the pack L. Thomas, Dunfee, and Reynolds to round out strong scoring.
Head Coach Kyle Morrison
Coach Morrison returns for his fourth season as the head coach for both the men's and women's cross country programs. He has accumulated three top-four finishes as a head coach, including a second-place finish for the women at the Knight-Raider Invite in 2021. In addition, he has coached one All-MIAA finisher, Rachael Gallap, who did it twice in 2019 and 2021.
Quoting Coach Morrison
"The men's team is poised to make some big moves in the MIAA and NCAA Great Lakes Region. We return a great group of hard-working culture builders and bring in a new class of talented, committed runners that should translate to a successful fall. It is early, and we are targeting racing well during Championship season, but there is much to be excited about."