As we enter July, track is slowly coming to a close, and we are gearing up for the cross country season! Before we could too much into depth on the preseason rankings and stories, we have a special series put together on some rising stars that could bring some exciting storylines to Colorado. We will start with the Dann brothers from Castle Rock, Colorado.
Representing Castle View High School in Castle Rock, Colorado, twin brothers Evan and Wyatt Dann are setting the cross country course and track on fire.
Fall 2024 XC:
During their first fall season of high school cross country, Evan and Wyatt Dann saw
tremendous success. Evan was the Colorado 5A Region 5 individual champion (pictured left, photo credit: Jen Jardeleza) and went on to place 7th
at the Colorado 5A State Cross Country Championship in an impressive time of 15:38. The time becomes even more impressive when considering the difficulty of the state meet course, with its steep, rolling hills. He capped his
season with a huge personal best of 15:06 at the RunningLane Cross Country Championship,
helping his team claim the title.
Wyatt was always right on his brother's heels, finishing 7th at the 2024 5A Region 5 meet (pictured right, photo credit: Jen Jardeleza)and
placing 20th at the Colorado 5A State Meet. He concluded his season with a massive personal
best of 15:14, also at RunningLane. Anyone watching their rapid progress in the fall could tell
the upcoming track season was bound to be special.
Spring Track 2025:
The twins continued their record-setting pace during the spring, setting massive personal bests
from 800m to 3200m. Evan individually qualified for state in both the 1600m and 3200m for 5A,
while Wyatt qualified in the 3200m. Evan and Wyatt finished as the top freshmen in the 3200m
for 5A, placing 5th and 7th respectively and landing themselves on the podium. Evan also placed 12th in the 1600m. Their impressive 3200m marks at altitude, 9:17.74 for Evan and 9:19.53 for Wyatt, hinted at
what was to come as they prepared to compete at the 2025 RunningLane Track Championships
following the CHSAA season.
The Training and Who They Are: The training behind their breakout year has been fairly standard. Their coach at Castle View
High School incorporated tempo runs, hill repeats, and consistent strides. "If there's anything
unique about their training," said their head coach, "it's the consistency and attention to detail
that Evan and Wyatt bring to practice every day."
Off the course and track, Evan and Wyatt are known for being funny and laid-back. They know
how to turn their competitive switch on and off. When they spike up, they are laser-focused.
Their coach added, "They are some of the most competitive athletes I've ever interacted with at
any level."
#6 and #7 All-Time Freshman 3200m in US history:
Evan and Wyatt went to sea level on a mission to break 9:00 in the 3200m--a remarkable feat
for any high school runner, let alone freshmen. Fewer than ten freshmen in U.S. history have
broken that barrier.
At the 2025 RunningLane Track Championship in Huntsville, Alabama, the pace was fast in the
boys' championship 3200m. Evan and Wyatt ran stride for stride all the way to the finish,
securing their place among the all-time greats. Evan crossed in 8:57.41, with Wyatt just behind
in 8:57.67, placing them #6 and #7 on the U.S. all-time freshman list. (Picture to the left by Boujee Fox Photos of the brothers breaking 9 minutes).
What's Next?:
As the 2025 track season wraps up, the twins continue to chase big goals. Their summer
training will be filled with mileage and structured work aimed at fall success. Evan says, "My
goal is to qualify for Nike Cross Country Nationals." Wyatt says, "I want to be top five at the
Colorado State Meet and Nike Cross Country Regionals." Castle View High School will open up their season at the Cheyenne Mountain Stampede (Pre-State), which is the first look at how individuals and teams are looking. The meet is slated for Friday, August 22nd. With their current trajectory, their success in the longer distances, and their competitive drive, there's
truly nothing standing in their way. We're all eager to see just how far they'll go!
As we enter July, track is slowly coming to a close, and we are gearing up for the cross country season! Before we could too much into depth on the preseason rankings and stories, we have a special series put together on some rising stars that could bring some exciting storylines to Colorado. We will start with the Dann brothers from Castle Rock, Colorado.
Representing Castle View High School in Castle Rock, Colorado, twin brothers Evan and Wyatt Dann are setting the cross country course and track on fire.
Fall 2024 XC:
During their first fall season of high school cross country, Evan and Wyatt Dann saw
tremendous success. Evan was the Colorado 5A Region 5 individual champion (pictured left, photo credit: Jen Jardeleza) and went on to place 7th
at the Colorado 5A State Cross Country Championship in an impressive time of 15:38. The time becomes even more impressive when considering the difficulty of the state meet course, with its steep, rolling hills. He capped his
season with a huge personal best of 15:06 at the RunningLane Cross Country Championship,
helping his team claim the title.
Fall 2024 XC:
During their first fall season of high school cross country, Evan and Wyatt Dann saw
tremendous success. Evan was the Colorado 5A Region 5 individual champion (pictured left, photo credit: Jen Jardeleza) and went on to place 7th
at the Colorado 5A State Cross Country Championship in an impressive time of 15:38. The time becomes even more impressive when considering the difficulty of the state meet course, with its steep, rolling hills. He capped his
season with a huge personal best of 15:06 at the RunningLane Cross Country Championship,
helping his team claim the title.