Jonathan Nowacki enters his second season as head coach of Heartland's men's and women's cross-country teams after taking over the programs prior to the 2025 season.
 
This season brings a new level of excitement for Nowacki. "I think the culture on both teams is really strong right now. With so many newcomers, there has been a lot of excitement around being part of something together," Nowacki said.
Last season, the women's team had just two runners. This season, they bring in seven freshmen to fill out the squad. Among the freshman, Caylie Ahten is a name to watch. Ahten was a top 10 runner in 2A last fall and will be one of the best runners in central IL. "She comes in not missing a run or lift all summer and someone that is willing to be pushed day in and day out," Nowacki said.

Outside of Ahten, they have two freshman that qualified for state which brings a sense of depth. More importantly, they are filling out a whole team. "Having that full-team atmosphere again is something we missed greatly a year ago," Nowacki said.

The one returner is Rebekah Fisher, who will bring a sense of familiarity to the team.

The men's team will have nine freshman, two transfers and three returners to round out a roster of 14. Nowacki believes this is a very well-rounded roster. "This is a talented group to the point where I think we could have 10 guys be in our top five at some point this season," Nowacki said.

The men's cross-country squad finished last season on a high note by placing 7^th out of 46 teams at the NJCAA DII National Tournament.

Nowacki is ready to enter year two at the helm for the Hawks. "The biggest thing I've continued to learn is how each team and athlete is different, and being adaptable is key to our success. Last year taught me a lot about what works here with our program and how I want things structured in training, but most importantly, it taught me how to get the most out of each athlete," Nowacki said.

While Nowacki has grown as a coach, he has also seen his players grow as a team. "Overall, I think the camaraderie is one of the things I'm most excited about this season. We have a group that genuinely enjoys being around each other, and I think that carries over into how we work at practice every day," Nowacki said.

Heartland Cross Country's first meet is tomorrow at the Prairie Stars Invitational in Springfield, IL.