The Augustana men’s and women’s cross country teams hosted the Brissman-Lundeen Invitational at Saukie Golf Course, leaning on leadership, preparation and team chemistry to tackle another competitive weekend. The Vikings placed sixth out of 12 on the men’s side and fourth out of seven on the women’s.
For the men, junior Christian Haywood was the top finisher for the Vikings, placing 19th, while sophomore Daniel Prochaska followed behind in 22nd place. Meanwhile, for the women, sophomore Keira Nelson finished 17th, and first-year Frida Martinez was the next Augie runner behind her in 22nd place.
Coming off a strong 2024 season, both teams entered the fall with confidence, but also an awareness that expectations would be higher than ever. For many of the returning runners, the offseason wasn’t a break, but a chance to lay the groundwork for another year of success. Senior Mitch Dolynchuk said that the summer months were crucial in building that foundation.
“The offseason is all about putting in the work when no one is there to watch you or hold you accountable,” Dolynchuk said. “As a distance runner, the only true offseason is during the summer. I made sure to keep putting in miles every day so I’d be ready for the season.”
Even with that steady preparation, both teams have felt the weight of expectation. After standout performances in 2024, the Vikings know that opponents and fans alike are watching closely. Dolynchuk said the key to managing that pressure has been staying grounded and focusing on what he can control.
“Absolutely, there is [pressure]. People inherently expect you to perform well if they have high expectations of you,” Dolynchuk said. “The best way to handle it is not to focus on it. I go forward each day focusing on how I can improve myself and not what others think. This is especially true for the small things such as sleep, hydration, nutrition and recovery.”
That steady, team-first approach has helped define the program’s culture, and it’s something junior captain Adam Miller said he has worked hard to reinforce. With only one senior on both the women’s and men’s roster, the leadership mantle has shifted toward the juniors. While the transition has been challenging, it’s brought the team closer together.
“It’s definitely tricky, but I wouldn’t necessarily call it a struggle,” Miller said. “We’ve had to take on more responsibility, whether it’s leading warmups, organizing workouts or keeping the energy up at practice, and I think it’s made us stronger as a group.”
He said that sense of collective responsibility has become central to how Augustana trains and races. Instead of relying on a few standout runners, the Vikings have emphasized “pack running,” where teammates pace each other and minimize the gaps between finishers.
The idea is simple, he said: If everyone runs together, everyone improves.
“It’s ideal if the top seven runners are almost interchangeable because they’d be running as one large pack,” Dolynchuk said. “If we stick with each other and push together, our chances of finishing high as a team go way up.”
Both teams will be back in action on Oct. 18, when they host the Augustana Interregional Invitational at 11:45 a.m. at Saukie Golf Course in Rock Island, Illinois.
