For the first time this season, the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men’s cross-country team raced on its home course, hosting the Tom Hoffman Invitational Saturday, Sept. 20. With seniors making their final home appearance, the invitational carried added importance as the Warhawks faced off against regional competition.
Senior Dan Anderson delivered a standout performance finishing first for the first time in his collegiate cross-country career.
“I’m pretty pumped about that,” Anderson said. “I think it’s kind of a good stepping stone for the rest of the season. It gives me some confidence heading into some competitive meets in the future.”
Anderson, who earned All-American last season, has his eyes set on repeating the achievement.
“If I can repeat that, I would consider that a great season,” Anderson said. “I’d like to place at nationals, but get back up there in those All-American spots.”
Anderson emphasized how meaningful it was to compete at home in his final season.
“It’s really special,” Anderson said. “A lot of parents from our team come out, make the journey to watch everyone. Tom Hoffman’s our senior meet, and we have a lot of seniors this year, so it’s a great way to get everyone together one last time and enjoy our course.”
New assistant coach Brandon Miles said the race provided a valuable early-season benchmark.
“It’s the first meet where we’ve had everybody racing,” Miles said. “It’s nice to have the whole team together. They all get that shared experience and we all get a good benchmark to see where we’re at.”
Miles in his first season with the program emphasizes the strength of the roster’s leadership and the impact of newcomers.
“We lost some really strong runners, but both squads have great leaders,” Miles said.
Miles also clarified how transfer students and incoming freshmen have built the team up, saying the “newcomers have really bought into the culture these guys built.”
Sophomore James Belus echoed the assistant coach’s thoughts, pointing to the team’s unity as a strength.
“Last year, we had a very strong team, and we lost some key pieces this year, but we have a lot of good chemistry going on, a lot of good teamwork, and a lot of good pack running,” Belus said. “It makes us strong as a team when we can challenge each other.”
Belus added that the newcomers have already elevated the Warhawks.
“They’ve done a great job of coming in and transitioning smoothly, finding the people they can run with and supporting the rest of the team,” Belus said.
While health remains among the programs largest concerns and challenges, the Warhawks left their home opener optimistic. With Anderson being a strong leader and underclassmen stepping up, they have their eyes set on peaking in November.
Looking ahead, the Warhawks plan to build on the momentum from the Tom Hoffman Invitational as they prepare for competitive meets coming up. The coaching staff stressed the importance of balancing training intensity with recovery, ensuring runners peak performance at the right time.
“All the pieces are there,” Miles said. “It’s just putting in good work and staying healthy from here on out.”
The Warhawks left their home opener encouraged by their depth and leadership, but also aware of the challenges that lie ahead.
