MORGANTOWN – The University High School boys’ cross country team will chase its eighth consecutive state championship when it takes the starting line to begin the 2026 season in the coming weeks.
The good news for the Hawks is they bring back all but one runner from last season’s roster that captured the program’s seventh title in a row, including the individual Class AAAA state champion and state Gatorade Player of the Year, rising junior Micah Gainer.
Another top-ten finisher at the state meet, rising senior Logan Conroy, is another name to watch closely, according to head coach Ed Fronaphel.
“Micah has worked hard to continue to improve,” Fronaphel said. “He’s taken on a bigger role in guiding the younger boys on the team on how to improve as runners.”
Rising seniors Ben Honecker and Nathan White will also return for the Hawks. James Gipple rounds out the runners who will be back with state-meet experience.
“One of the biggest strengths of both of our groups is our experience,” Fronaphel said. “We return every girl that ran for us at last season’s state meet, and all but one boy. We did lose Ethan Conroy, who finished second, and will miss him. We had a good signup of runners this season who ran well at the middle school level, and overall our numbers are up all season.”
The girls, who took home third place in Class AAAA in 2025, will return every single runner from last season’s state-meet roster.
Rising senior Abigail Rogers finished fifth overall, with rising junior Rosalia Biundo taking 12th overall in 2025.
Rising sophomores Cara Zundell and Shae Hopkins will also play key roles for the Hawks girls team.
Vienna Lisle, a rising junior, and rising sophomores Kera Rogers and Sophie Dunn finalize the returning state competitors.
Both the girls and boys cross country teams at University High School have continued to compete at the top of the class year in and year out.
“I’m not ready to give away my secrets just yet,” Fronaphel said.
