ELON, N.C. – As the Elon University cross country teams begin their 2023 seasons tonight at the Elon Opener, the Phoenix has several familiar faces as captains.
Rising Phoenix caught up with all five of Elon's captains for the men's and women's teams before the start of their 2023 campaigns.
Zane Jackson • Senior • Charleston, S.C.
Jackson is in his second year as a captain for the men's cross country team. An All-CAA performer in 2022, Jackson is the only senior on this year's roster.
Q: You are the only senior on the men's team this year. What is your leadership role like and how has it changed during your time as a captain?
Jackson: My leadership skills have definitely evolved throughout my time at Elon. When I got here, I wasn't really taking control or anything, I was just sitting back and learning. And now that I've risen through the ranks, I've learned so much. I try to lead by example and also verbally. With a very young class, I think it's very important to have strong leaders on this team.
Q: What has been your favorite memory as part of Elon's cross country team?
Jackson: Last year when Andrew [Miller] and I both got all-conference, that's one of my best memories, especially with how young our class was then. And seeing all the other finishers coming close to all-conference, it gets me really excited. Not only does it make me happy in the moment, it gets me really excited for the future.
Q: If you didn't run cross country, what sport would you play?
Jackson: This may not be a real sport, but I think Spikeball is definitely something I'd be good at. I played every day at lunch in high school with my friends and I don't know, it was just a calling to me.
Fun Fact About Jackson: He is a Taylor Swift fan and saw her perform in-person this summer.
Evan Taylor • Sophomore • Milton, Ontario
Taylor is a part of Elon's nine-man sophomore class. Due to injuries, he was unable to compete during his freshman season but was selected as a captain for the first time.
Q: What does it mean to you to be a captain as a sophomore?
Taylor: It's incredibly important to me to have that honor. It's such a great group of guys and so many of them are made up from my class. We're a really young team so it's really important to me to be able to be a leader for these guys. I've just loved being able to have that role and spread that leadership around to everybody.
Q: If you didn't run cross country, what sport would you play?
Taylor: I think it would be soccer because I played a lot as a kid. It's another sport where my intelligence can get me far and I'm pretty quick. It's also a sport where you don't have to be the biggest guy. It's not football or basketball where you've got to be a big dude.
Fun Fact About Taylor: He is double majoring in political science and philosophy.
Jette Beermann • Junior • Rellingen, Germany
Beermann has earned All-CAA honors in cross country each of the last two seasons and was the 2021 CAA Rookie of the Year. Beermann was also All-CAA in three track & field events last season – the indoor 3,000-meters, the indoor-mile and the outdoor 1,500-meters.
Q: What has it been like helping the program to so much success in your first two years here?
Beermann: I'm super proud to be part of this team and now to be a captain of this team and a role model for the new incoming freshman and the other classes. I'm super excited to see where this year and the coming years will take us.
Q: How would you describe your mentality while running and competing?
Beermann: I would just say positive because I think, especially in running, you have so many ups and downs, so it's important to keep your eyes on the long-term goal, stay positive and not get knocked down after one bad race. And just keep a smile on your face.
Q: If you didn't run cross country, what sport would you play?
Beermann: I've played soccer for eight years, so maybe soccer, but probably just because of my running capabilities.
Fun Fact About Beermann: She is a vegetarian.
Leandra Lorenz • Fifth Year • Kleinmachnow, Germany
A star on the track and the cross country course over the last four years, Lorenz returns for a fifth year in 2023. She has earned All-CAA honors in each of the last three conference meets, which included a third-place result last season.
Q: What does it mean for you to be a captain?
Lorenz: It's a great honor. A lot of teammates who voted me into the position, I know they trust me and I want to show them that I'm able to help them out and be a good role model and a good leader.
Q: What are some of the most important responsibilities in being a captain?
Lorenz: I think it's most important as a captain that you have a good connection with every teammate and that no one is afraid to talk to you so that you're very approachable.
Q: What are some of your favorite memories with the team?
Lorenz: Definitely all the championships we've won together. As a team, we enjoy the process to get to our goals and win championships. We enjoy every practice and I think that's what I appreciate so much about this team and that's why I'm staying a fifth year, because I enjoy practice so much
Fun Fact: She has a horse and enjoys skiing.
Hannah Miller • Fifth Year • Harrisonburg, Va.
Like Lorenz, Miller returns for a fifth year in 2023. This will be her third year as a captain for the cross country team. In addition to cross country, Miller has also been an All-CAA performer in steeplechase in each of the last two CAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
Q: What about your character and mindset has allowed you to be a captain for three straight years?
Miller: I think you definitely have to be a team player, regardless of whether it's cross country or track. They are kind of individual in the sense that you're running your own race, but we're all very focused on the same goals and wanting to do well as a team together. So I think having that larger picture in mind that even if you don't have a good race or you're not having a good season, anything you can do to contribute to the team is helping.
Q: What's one word you would use to describe yourself when it comes to cross country?
Miller: I would say piece because again even though it is individual, we're always working toward the same things. So in cross country, I just see myself as someone who is just a piece in the larger team, both on and off the courses, showing up to practice every day, trying to be positive and encouraging people.
Q: If you didn't run cross country, what sport would you play?
Miller: I played soccer for like 13 years. I didn't stop until the end of high school. I was pretty good at that as a midfielder because I could run really well. But if I could do a sport that I've never done before, I think ice hockey would be really cool because I think it's amazing how they skate so well and focus on the stick and puck skills.
Fun Fact About Miller: She can make a large pepperoni pizza in under a minute.
'Rising Phoenix' is a new student-led initiative to cover Elon Athletics. Through innovative content creation and storytelling, Elon University students will have the opportunity to highlight the moments, people and events that make an impact, leveraging the athletic department's various web and social media platforms for distribution. Follow Rising Phoenix on Twitter (@EURisingPhoenix) and Instagram (@elonrisingphoenix). Interested in joining this initiative as a content creator (video, graphics, writing, storytelling, or more)? Contact Jacob Kisamore at jkisamore@elon.edu.
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