SWANNANOA, N.C. — The Warren Wilson College men's cross-country team is eager to open the 2025 season with a strong mix of veteran leadership and talented newcomers.

The Owls showed promise last fall with a solid performance at the Yeti Invitational, but the season was cut short when Hurricane Helene struck western North Carolina the same weekend the team was set to travel to the Maryville Invitational. The storm's devastation to campus forced an early end to the year.

This fall, the Owls are led by Henry Berta, a fourth-year runner and last year's top returner, who begins his final season with the program. Supporting him is a standout recruiting class with talent from across the country. Deshawn Hamilton (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) joins the Owls after an impressive career at Dillard High School, where he competed at the Florida Relays and helped his 4x800m relay team run one of the fastest times in the nation. Brooks Anderton (Morgan, Utah) brings championship experience after helping his high school team to back-to-back state titles. Additional first-year talent includes Ewen Williams (Queens Grant High, Mint Hill, N.C.), Johnathan McBrayer (Dunedin, Fla.), Grayson Lagasse (St. Augustine, Fla.), and Nishiki Satoh, who rounds out the group of promising newcomers.

The Owls will open the 2025 campaign at the Eye Opener Meet, hosted by USC Upstate at the Milliken Research Center in Spartanburg, S.C. — site of both the NCAA Division III Pre-Nationals and National Championships this year. The schedule also includes a return to the Bruins Invitational in Greenville, S.C., with additional stops at the Queen City Invitational in Charlotte and the Mountain Goat Invitational hosted by the University of the South in Sewanee, Tenn.

With depth, new energy, and experienced leadership, the Owls are poised to make an impact this fall.