Among Seattle Prep’s impressive fall sports teams, there’s one team that consistently sticks out: with their size, impressive results and special bond. Seattle Prep’s Cross-Country team proves that they are a team to compete with, every year. The boys’ program is led by Program Head Andrew Walker. The boys have had many successes over the years with 15 Metro Championship wins, as well as 18 State appearances. The boys have been named State Champions 5 times, most recently in 2023. The girls have their own accolades as well winning 3 Metro Championships and 4 State appearances, being named State Champs in 2020. Both teams have also had many individual successes with several standout runners. Overall Prep Cross Country has proven to be a force to be reckoned with.
Something that makes our cross-country team stand out is the bonds made throughout the season. After speaking with Senior Captain Fiona Dunn, who helped lead the team this past fall, it’s clear the culture of the cross-country team is something special. Fion Dunn has been doing cross country for 13 years starting in kindergarten CYO. Dunn shared that this past season was unique, with around 80 girls on the team. She adds, “It’s a really hard sport and you need people there to support you.” When asked what she would say to student considering joining cross country, she says, “There’s not a lot of pressure. When you join the team, you also get to be a part of a good community with likeminded people.” Cross country can be a hard sport mentally and physically but when you are competing with supportive teammates beside you it can be fun. Like Dunn always says, “getting in shape is fun”.
One freshman with a notable first year of high school cross country, was Macy Powell. Powell has run cross-country for 9 years now. She runs on a club team for West Seattle Road Runners. When I asked Powell what made Prep’s cross-country team different than other teams, she responded, “Our varsity was really close. We all know each other really well and we were able to help each other in races”. When asked what she would say to a student considering joining cross-country, her response was similar to Fiona Dunn’s, “It’s a team sport and you’ll make friends that will last the rest of your life”, The underlying theme of friendship and community seems to run true, on our sports team’s here at Prep.
Coming off exciting seasons from both the boys and the girls’ teams, it will be exciting to see how the next ’25 season will go. Stay tuned and follow along with their progress as best you can, our Seattle Prep teams are something special.
