ECC Division I

East Lyme

Coach: Mike Flynn (1st season)

Key returnees: Sr. Luke Anthony, Sr. Noah Krishnaswami, Sr. Ilyas Syed, Sr. Cody Johnson, Jr. Brendan Fant, Jr. Will Potopowitz IV, Jr. Ted Bergman, So. Nathan Bergman, So. Kai Ritz, So. Campbell Posgay, So. Mason Hintze, So. Beck Schultz.

Top newcomers: So. Maddox Grillo-Smith, Fr. Sean McCauley, Fr. Matthew Carrier, Fr. Jack Jensen.

Outlook: Flynn takes over the dual role as Vikings' boys' and girls' coach this fall and will be assisted by former Ledyard coach Tim Strong. East Lyme did graduate some key pieces but return an elite performer in Anthony – The Day's 2020 All-Area Runner of the Year and school record holder in the 1,600. "The team has put in the miles this summer and is looking to add to the storied history of the program," Flynn said. "If the boys can gain enough racing experience and develop into 5K runners, they will contend come championship season."

Fitch

Coach: Rich Kosta (10th season)

Key returnees: Sr. Carson Riley, Sr. Raj Bokhiria, Sr. Ben Chidley, So. Patrick Lindy, Sr. Kaiden Chandler, Sr. Nathan Jankowski.

Top newcomer: So. Ryan Dunning.

Outlook: The Falcons return six of their top seven runners from 2020, but Kosta also has six freshmen to continue to push his experienced runners. Kosta expects Fitch to have a winning season and be competitive in the always challenged ECC Division I.

NFA

Coach: Jacklyn Sullivan (3rd season)

Key returnees: Sr. Tyler Crabb, So. Sawyer Barile, So. Nick DeBartolo.

Top newcomers: Jr. Ethan Manfredi, Fr. Jesse Croteau, Fr. Patrick Croughwell, Fr. Robinson Meuse, Fr. Owen Muench, Fr. Brock Nowakowski, Fr. Nick Wigfield, Sr. Michaelly Luc.

Outlook: Crabb will lead a young NFA team that will feature some freshmen in its varsity lineup. Newcomer Manfredi and Barile have been pushing Crabb during the preseason. "We have a young team," said Sullivan, "and will look to these younger athletes to step up and assist the returning varsity members." Sullivan, despite NFA's youth, expects the Wildcats to be competitive in the ECC and become a factor at the Class LL state meet.

ECC Division II

Bacon Academy

Coach: Jay Lucas (19th season)

Key returnees: Sr. Josiah Banks, Sr. Daniel Blanda, So. Carson Brown, So. Aaron Fidrych, Sr. Nichols Lang, Jr. Ryan Moores, Jr. Brendan Reas.

Top newcomers: Sr. William Girard, Jr. Andrew Lima, Jr. Wyatt Nowakowski.

Outlook: Despite losing seven runners to graduation, Lucas is excited to prepare the Bobcats for championship races after COVID-19 didn't allow for postseason meets in 2020. "We're going to focus on gaining varsity experience while developing some of the younger runners on the team," Lucas said.

Ledyard

Coach: Chris Helminski (1st season)

Key returnees: So. Hayden Barber, Jr. Auguste Estriplet, Sr. Braedyn Caouette.

Top newcomers: So. Jack Hill, So. Jack Garcia.

Outlook: The Colonels will face some growing pains this fall in Helminski's first season after several upperclassmen opted not to return, but Ledyard still expects to be competitive in Division II. "We have a tremendous group of sophomores and freshmen that will be immersed in a strong culture passed down from the former coach that will pave the way for the future of the program," Helminski said.

Stonington

Coach: Megan Chapman (1st season)

Key returnees: Jr. Ryan Gruczka, Sr. Chris Odell.

Top newcomer: Sr. Jason Morse.

Outlook: Chapman, who has been an assistant with Stonington's track and field programs since 2016, takes over the cross country program this year and has one of the ECC's top returning runners in Gruczka, an accomplished track athlete in the middle and long distances.

Waterford

Coach: Chris Gamble (15th season)

Key returnees: So. Jay Zimmerman, Jr. Luke Bartlett, Sr. Zac Gamble, Sr. Theo Joseph.

Outlook: The Lancers must replace a pair of the ECC's top distance performers in Sean Corman and Aidan Pepin, so there will be some growing pains. The good news for Gamble: there are more than 25 runners in the program. "So far the attitude has been positive," Gamble said. "It is difficult to say what the team will look like by the end of the season, but the coaching staff is excited to see where we end up."

ECC Division III

Griswold

Coach: Kelsey Nixon (5th season)

Key returness: Jr. Michael Strain, Jr. Lucas Strain, Jr. Jacob Strain, Jr. Jackson Collins, Sr. Nathan Moore.

Outlook: The Strain triplets return to lead an experienced Griswold team which expects to contend for a Division III title, be a factor in the ECC championship meet and make some noise at the state, level, too. All three were top 10 finishers in the ECC meet as freshmen.

Lyman Memorial

Coach: Chantal Fields (1st season)

Key returnees: Sr. Grayson LeMay, Sr. Max Hussey.

Top newcomers: So. Hunter Sanchez, Fr. Jackson Dodge, Sr. Evan Caines.

Outlook: The Bulldogs suffered some key graduation losses, but Fields has a pair of seniors in LeMay and Hussey to lean on while some of her inexperienced runners gain experience and peak for the postseason.

Montville

Coach: Steven LaBranche (6th season)

Key returnees: Sr. Ranju Iyer, Sr. Ethan Thomas, So. Jack Brehler.

Top newcomers: Jr. Dylan Horkey, So. Nicholas James.

Outlook: The Indians will lean on their three returning varsity runners, including captains Iyer and Thomas, to lead a large team with little cross country experience. Iyer and Brehler should contend for All-ECC honors and LaBranche expects Horkey and James to compete for varsity spots after coming off solid outdoor track and field seasons in the spring.

St. Bernard

Coach: Juliana Rosas (1st season)

Key returnee: So. Jason O'Donnell.

Top newcomers: Sr. Markham Puhlick, So. Eddie Dai, So. Geoffrey Sibert, Fr. Joey Busher.

Outlook: Rosas, the girls' coach the previous five seasons, will coach both teams this fall and faces a rebuilding project with the boys' program. O'Donnell is the only returning varsity performance, so the Saints will rely on freshmen and sophomores to fill some of the varsity spots. It's a promising group, Rosas said, and she expects St. Bernard to be competitive within the division.

Wheeler

Coach: Marc Tardiff (21st season)

Key returnees: Sr. Michael O'Gara, Jr. Evan Browne, Jr. Nate Dobley, So. Cameron Conway, So. Jayson Krysiewicz.

Top newcomer: Fr. Trevor Scarchilli.

Outlook: The Lions return an experienced varsity lineup and look to contend for the Division IV title. "We are very excited for the season," Tardiff said. "We have a strong group of returning runners and a great group of new runners."

Others

Norwich Tech

Coach: Catherine Sikorski (4th season)

Key returnees: Jr. Mason Burlingame-McCord, Jr. Joseph Morse, Jr. Jay Podziewski.

Top newcomers: So. Elijah Orbe, So. Justin Caisse, Fr. Jilali Benjdid.

Outlook: The Connecticut Technical Conference did not offer competition in 2020 due to COVID-19, so the 2021 Warriors will be a work in progress. "We look forward to our championship meet," Sikorski said.

Old Lyme 

Coach: Aron D'Aquila (4th season)

Key returnees: Sr. Reese Maguire, Sr. Mike Klier, Sr. Ryan Clark, Sr. Evan Morgan, Jr. Geoge Williams, Jr. Harry Whiten.

Top newcomers: So. Eric Dagher, So. Gabe Tooker.

Outlook: The Wildcats will rely on an experienced senior class to be competitive within the Shoreline Conference and build to the postseason meets. "We are a small team, but looking to build on our successes and having a competitive season," D'Aquila said. "They run with a lot of heart and determination."

Williams

Coach: Ana Schavoir

Key returnees: Phil Knowlton, Tyler Boissevain.

Outlook: The Blues will be young after graduating a large senior class but can't wait to get started after the pandemic cost them their 2020 season. "We lost a lot of seniors," Schavoir said, "but are looking forward to a great season."