A Recipe for Success: USM Cross Country Program Concocts Right Combination for Long-Term Success

Under the February Orlando sun, Alisn Stevens Rizzo, U’17, D’20, reunited with some of her University of Saint Mary teammates. It was an impressive group – two physical therapists, a vet, psychologist, physician assistant, and future doctor.

The trip allowed the accomplished USM graduates to catch up, reminisce about their college days, and relax. The group had a bigger mission, though. They selected Orlando so they could cheer on fellow Saint Mary cross country alum Eric Vazquez, U’21, as he competed in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Marathon.

While Vazquez did not finish the race, he was the first in a talented group of USM runners to qualify for the Olympic Trials and had the support of his Saint Mary family.

“We shared a lot of miles with each other and got to know each other really well,” Rizzo said. “I am still very much in contact with my old teammates, and we all still feel like a family. That’s all attributed to Coach (Benton) and him creating an environment for us to be successful.”

Under the leadership of Head Coach Alstin Benton, the University of Saint Mary Men’s Cross Country team has won 11 consecutive conference championships. The women’s program has won four straight Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference titles and seven all-time conference crowns.

The 2023 campaign was the Spires’ best season yet. The women took third at the NAIA National Championship – the best finish in program history – and the men finished in second, coming within five points of a national title.

With 28 total All-America honors, multiple KCAC Coach of the Year awards, and two NAIA Program of the Year honors, it’s clear a combination of factors have helped USM build a cross country dynasty.

Determination of the Athletes
While accolades continue to grow for Saint Mary XC, Benton says winning isn’t necessarily his priority. He believes the program’s success is a result of the determination and mindset of the student-athletes.

“I don’t necessarily think that what I do is anything spectacular,” Benton said. “But what I do think is that the athletes that we’ve had come through the program have been spectacular, not just as athletes, but as leaders and people who are passionate about our sport – people who are willing to work hard to achieve things.”

Benton traces the roots of the program’s success to the first group he coached at Saint Mary. He assumed the head coaching role during the 2014-15 season, inheriting a team that was coachable while open to being challenged and pushed. Those attributes are also present in the current team members.

“I think if you asked any of our athletes, they would say that the expectations are just different than anything they’ve experienced before,” Benton said. “That comes from within because I’m with them two hours a day, and they still have 22 other hours to make really good decisions. It comes from them wanting to be a part of something special and realizing that to do that, they have to change their priorities a little bit.”

Junior exercise science major Ryan Heline is excited about the growth he’s experienced in his time at Saint Mary. At the 2023 NAIA National Championships, he finished 25th – earning All-America honors alongside four other Saint Mary teammates.

“I did not think I’d be in the spot I am now with how fast I’m running,” Heline said. “Doing all the little things right, taking care of the body makes a huge difference. Now we’re starting to be competitive at the top of the NAIA and having fun just going out and racing.”

Coaching and Recruiting Ability
Benton and Assistant Coach Nolan Ryan have coached the cross country and track & field programs together for the last five seasons, accumulating numerous conference and regional coaching accolades. While Benton believes his style isn’t “anything spectacular,” student-athletes, alumni, university leaders, and the results say otherwise.

“I think any program’s success boils down to leadership,” Vice President of Athletics Rob Miller said. “Alstin and Nolan recruit well. They build a relationship and look for character. They recruit potentially really good runners, but they develop them, and they end up being All-Americans through some training.”

In addition to athletic ability, Benton and Ryan pay special attention to prospective students’ commitment to cross country and their ability to be good teammates. Are students posting about running on their social media accounts? If so, that can be a good sign of their passion. Are students spending quality time with their teammates? If so, they may be a good fit for USM’s close-knit program.

Once students are on the team, the hard work begins. According to Benton, he is the disciplinarian and Ryan is the motivator. That combination has brought out the best in their athletes – both in and out of competition.

“There is a presence from the coaching staff that they want to be successful, and that trickles down into the athletes,” said Johnathan Bowen, U’21, who holds the school record in the men’s 8,000 meter event with a time of 23:53. “The coaching staff holds everyone to a high standard. I think that is one of the leading factors. When there’s past success, people tend to accept the necessary requirements.”

Family-Like Atmosphere
On the course, the current women’s team has adopted a “One Unit” mentality. When one person succeeds, they all succeed. Junior pre-athletic training student Reagan Hiebert said this approach gives her confidence at pressure-filled meets and creates trust among team members.

“Everyone shows up every single day,” said Hiebert, who was named the USTFCCCA South Central Region Runner of the Year in 2023. “Everyone puts their 100 percent effort in every single day. Everyone lifts each other up. We don’t compete against each other. We compete with each other. So, I think that’s how we’ve been able to do what we’ve done.”

The team camaraderie extends beyond students’ time at Saint Mary. Spires have lived together after graduation, traveled great distances to attend weddings, and showed up for some of their friends’ biggest races.

The coaches and teammates support each other in the classroom, too. During Hiebert’s freshman year, she struggled to manage the transition from high school to college coursework. Seeing her potential, Benton and Ryan helped Hiebert develop a plan to better manage her homework. She’s made the Dean’s List every year since.

“They genuinely care about the students,” Hiebert said. “You can tell it’s super heartfelt. It brings me to tears thinking about it now. They treat you like family.”

Hiebert’s peers have also found success in the classroom. The men and women have been named NAIA Scholar Teams multiple times and USTFCCCA All-Academic Teams in 2020. The program has also produced dozens of NAIA Daktronics Scholar-Athletes and two CoSIDA Academic All-Americans.

Helping students achieve this level of success is Benton’s driving motivation.

“What keeps us coming back as coaches is the impact that we can make on the athletes,” he said. “The only vision we’ve ever really had for the program is how can we make these 18 to 21-year-olds better people. And I know for a fact that if we continue helping people be successful long term, I’ll be really satisfied in my job – whether we win or not.”

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