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Nathan “Q” Van Holten knows there is a lot of work to do this season as his Montcalm Community College Centurions men and women’s cross country teams prepare for their opening season meet. 

The Centurions, in their fourth year after the college reintroduced athletes to its campus, begin the 2026 season Saturday, Sept. 12, at the Ray Helsing Bulldog Invitational at Ferris State University in Big Rapids. To top what the teams did last season, Van Holten said the biggest hurdle for both teams is just showing up. 

“Our biggest challenge, actually, is just finishing as a team,” he said.  

While the women’s team finished last season competing at the NJCAA National Championships meet, placing 22nd, its lead runner and All-American athlete, Abby Davis (Vestaburg, Mich.), is now part of the Ferris State Bulldogs cross country team. Van Holten’s women’s team this season has two returning runners: Karly Fisk (Sand Lake, Mich.) and Joslyn Dickman (Alma, Mich.), and four freshmen, Prisciliana Barnhill (Ionia, Mich.), Emma Morris (Decatur, Mich.), Shelly Zimmerman (Cedar Springs, Mich.) and Logan Trygastad (Sheridan, Mich.).  

Van Holten began last season with six runners on his men’s team, however, towards the end of the season, only one remained — sophomore Keegan Shafer (Vestaburg, Mich.), who was unable to finish the season due to an injury. 

Van Holten is basically hitting the reset button on his men’s team and enters the season with two freshmen — Jeryn Frisbie (Belding, Mich.) and Elijah Quigley (Greenville, Mich.). With only two runners, Van Holten will have to rely on other MCC athletes to fill in the vacant positions during conference and regional competitions.  

Despite the many changeovers, Van Holten said his approach to the season will be the same as always — to give them the best experience at MCC he can provide them. 

“Our goal this season is to just compete to the best of our ability and try to improve,” he said. “My expectations are to just give them a good experience.” 

Van Holten expects Fisk and Dickman to step up as leaders for their team while his two freshmen male runners will have to learn quickly how to lead themselves.  

“Finding athletes in general has been the biggest challenge so far in building this program,” Van Holten said. “We need to find athletes who are not only willing to join the team, but who actually want to commit to the sport for the next two years. That’s why having Karly and Joslyn return for their sophomore season is a big win for us.” 

Van Holten said he is ready for the season to begin and getting his new runners broke into the collegiate setting. 

“For our first meet, I’ll be looking to just create a baseline of where we are,” he said. “Our challenge right now is massive inexperience.” 

The Ray Helsing Bulldog Invitational will be held at the Katke Golf Course in Big Rapids. The race begins at 9:30 a.m.