Unpredictability can be a team’s biggest strength. And for Quinnipiac men’s cross country, they look to build off their unpredictable future to succeed this season.

Quinnipiac men’s cross country has been running on a bumpy road since joining the MAAC in 2013. In their conference, the Bobcats have never finished better than 8th, demonstrated by their No. 11 spot on the MAAC Preseason Coaches Poll.

Only Niagara and Saint Peter’s sit below the Bobcats.

Last season, the Bobcats finished 11th in the MAAC Championships with an average time of 26:39, with sophomore Alex Saldana being the highest placing Bobcat in 45th.

Yet, it’s a new season for the Bobcats. A fresh start to create something new for the program.

“We’re just trying to set good habits and work together to be close, because it’s challenging, being on the younger side, but we’re using that to our advantage,” Saldana said.

Quinnipiac cross country has a very unique aspect to its team: youth.

And by youth, I really mean youth.

A closer look at the Bobcats roster shows its team being comprised of five freshmen, seven sophomores and one junior.

You read that right: a team with no senior class.

“I’m the oldest guy on the team as a junior that’s starting off, so I still have only had two years of college running under my belt,” junior Michael Strain said.

While some teams may see a team of young athletes as a negative, Quinnipiac looks at its youthful side as an asset that will help it prevail.

Youth provides a program with a fresh start, giving it the opportunity to reset and grow with one another over the course of seasons.

“Our team is very unpredictable this year. Any given day, a guy could be top 7, and just having such a young team where right now, we’re kind of at ground level with these guys going into college training,” Strain said. “Another year could honestly be a huge difference for some of these guys.”

Quinnipiac opened up the 2025 season competing in the Stony Brook Season Opener, placing fourth out of seven teams. Saldana finished lowest for the Bobcats, finishing the race in ninth place.

During this season-opening race, Quinnipiac competed against fellow MAAC opponent Sacred Heart, placing higher than the Pioneers, despite being ranked lower than them in the preseason polls.

The newcomers also showed out for Quinnipiac, with freshmen Shepard Livingston and freshmen Tyler Deme placing in the top 30th.

“A young team with plenty of newcomers definitely brings uncertainty, but that’s a good thing. There’s just a lot of surprises,” Saldana said. “We have a really big, pack in the middle of our team, which, on any given day, one of those guys can go and score, and just shoot up our performance, and our average, and our team score.”

Surprises might just be what Quinnipiac needs, especially for a team that has always been full of them. Not even four seasons ago, the Bobcats were coachless, before hiring head coach David Scrivines and assistant coach James Mas to lead the squad.

“Our coaches definitely are paving the way for us on how we need to approach training. Coach Scrivens and Coach James are great,” Saldana said. “Coach Scrivens is writing our mileage, and Coach James is writing our workouts. So they’re just preparing us for the things that make the load easier for us.”

For a team missing its senior leadership component, strong coaches help smooth out the road for the young athletes.

And for this young squad, winning a conference title may not be an immediate effect, but over time, it will continue to move up in the MAAC.

“It’s really unpredictable. We’re gonna do very well this season,” Strain said.