Secondary education major, Ian Cropp is a rising redshirt sophomore on the men’s cross-country team at Colorado Mesa University (CMU).
Over the past year, he has grown to be a leader for the team. During the summer he led unofficial practices, and according to teammates, he is always a good source of motivation. As a dedicated runner, Cropp was running 90-mile weeks over the summer as well.
Cropp got into cross country in high school after becoming bored with soccer. So, he followed in his older brother’s footsteps to cross country and track.
Cropp served as a captain for his high school cross country team, so stepping up to a leadership position on the CMU team came naturally to him. After some upperclassmen left the team after graduating last year, Cropp felt the need to fill the void left on the team.
“When I was a freshman, we had three really good leaders. So, I had good role models on the team, and now that they’re not here, I wanted to give people the same experience I had,” Cropp said
Cropp listed many upperclassmen in past years that served as leadership role models for himself, one of those people was Hunter Thompson who graduated last year.
“I was Ian’s teammate for a year and a half before graduating. Ian is known for his vibrant personality and infectious positivity. He always went out of his way to support and encourage his teammates,” Thompson said.
Cropp’s drive and passion for running have helped create a welcoming and fun environment on the team.
“Ian has a lot of respect for other runners no matter their ability level. I think these qualities are why creating an inclusive environment and community have been some of his biggest goals for the cross-country team,” Thompson said.
Thompson recounted that Cropp never missed a moment to brighten a teammate’s day.
“Like any athlete, Ian has his good days and bad days but no matter the day Ian never misses the opportunity to make a joke. He never takes himself too seriously and likes to lift the mood and bring excitement to whatever he is doing,” Thompson said.
With Cropp and other upperclassmen leading the team this year, CMU’s cross-country team has the goal of making it to nationals.
As one of the sports affected minimally by COVID-19, they still plan on competing and have four unofficial races planned. The team’s goal is 6th place or better at the RMAC championships in order to qualify for nationals.
