The 2022 season for the Wolf Pack cross country team has wrapped up with “mixed results,” according to Head Coach Geoffrey Masanet.

But despite battling sickness and losing many of the men’s team top runners, Masanet said he was proud of the season’s outcomes regardless.

The women’s team placed in fourth and the men’s team placed in seventh in the Southern States Athletic Conference.

In the top 15, Madisyn Acosta placed seventh out of 68 runners in the conference. Acosta, a biology pre-health senior, said her personal goal was to make it to nationals and to beat her personal record in the 5K, and she did both.

“The championship this year did not go how I wanted it to go, but I’ve learned that not every race is going to be your best race,” Acosta said. “I am still super happy that I was able to qualify for the second year in a row, considering how the beginning of the season went for me.”

Acosta said she learned a lot from this season.

“No matter how the beginning of your season will start, as long as you’re consistent in your training you will see improvement throughout your season,” she said.

In the men’s 8K race at the conference, Alex Medina placed 23rd out of 67 runners. Medina, a criminology and forensic science senior, said that his personal goal was to get back to where he was last season.

“Honestly I didn’t get to achieve that. I wasn’t able to get the summer training I wanted, but things look to be in line for a great track season,” he said.

This year’s conference went different for Medina than last year, he said.

“I put myself out there hard and fell apart earlier than last year. It was humbling but an experience I needed,” he said.

Medina added that the union the mens’ team had this season despite their challenges was the most important part of the season.

“We faced adversity, had our resiliency tested, and went through a myriad of trials and tribulations. In the end, we stuck together and learned a lot from the season. Our experiences from the fall will only sharpen us for the spring,” he said.

As the top runners prepare themselves for the next season, Masanet said he hopes to bolster both teams with new members, to guide the mens’ teams back to the top four positions in the next conference, and to make sure that the womens’ team continue their climb towards a conference championship and top three finish.