Photo by: Don Paul
Etters Adds Seven To 2028 Signing Class
8/5/2024 3:03:00 PM | Men's Cross Country
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Lehigh men's cross country head coach Todd Etters has announced the signing of seven newcomers to his 2028 class. Charlie Butler, Ben Connell, Issac Greene, Will Mronzinski, Peter Priestner, Jared Weiss and Ian Zalewski are set to join the program and compete for the Mountain Hawks this fall.
"Overall, I am very pleased with our recruiting efforts for the class of 2028," said Etters. "We have standouts that will provide a major impact in our cross country program and at the middle-distance and distance levels of our track and field team. It is exciting to be welcoming them to campus in the middle of August."
Charlie Butler – 6'0 – Severna Park, Md. – Mount Saint Joseph High School
A four-sport athlete, Butler excelled athletically and academically at Mount Saint Joseph High School in Baltimore, Maryland. He garnered many achievements as an indoor track, outdoor track and cross county runner, including First Team All-Conference in indoor and cross country, MSJ Conference First Place in indoor and outdoor, three Team MVP awards and many more. In the classroom, Butler was a member of the National Honor Society, French Honor Society, Rho Kappa Honor Society, Written Word Contest Winner, Harvard Prize Book Award Winner and a 16-time member of the Honor Roll.
Ben Connell – 5'8 – Far Hills, N.J. – Bernards High School
A competitor in the 3K, 5K, 10K, 8K and 10K cross country events, Connell brings his talents to Lehigh from Bernards High School. He earned Second Team All-State, First Team All-Conference, a Skyland Conference Championship and a North Two Group Two Sectional Championship during his high school career. In the classroom, Connell was a member of the National Honor Society, an AP Scholar with distinction and an AP Scholar with honor.
Issac Greene – 6'2 – Roxbury, N.J. – Blair Academy
Greene joins the Lehigh cross country program after competing at Blair Academy in New Jersey. He had an accomplished high school career that included 15 MAPL championships and 15 state championships in multiple events. In addition, Greene has competed at New Balance Nationals on three separate occasions. Running is in Greene's blood, as his mother was a collegiate cross country athlete.
Will Mrozinski – 6'3 – Haddon Heights, N.J. – Paul VI
Originally from New Jersey, Mronzinski spent a year Paul VI High School in Virginia after running for a high school close to home. Mronzinski was an All-South Jersey Team selection in 2023, placed 19th at the 2023 Cross Country Meet of Champions, was a two-time Bob Kiesling Invite champion, four-time All-Conference First Team selection in cross country and a two-time All-Conference First Team selection in track. He was also an accomplished student, being named salutatorian, Camden County Best Overall Student and an AP Distinguished Scholar.
Peter Priestner – 5'10 – Montvale, N.J. – Pascack Hills High School
A two-sport athlete in both TFXC/basketball, Priestner joins the Lehigh cross country program from Pascack Hills High School. Priestner earned First Team All-League and Third Team All-County honors while also being named a two-time cross country captain and Pascack Hills Track Athlete of the Year. In the classroom, Priestner was the Big North Conference Scholar Athlete Award and was on the High Honor Roll.
Jared Weiss – 5'9 – Roxbury, N.J. – Roxbury High School
Another Roxbury, New Jersey product, Weiss comes to Lehigh after competing at Roxbury High School. His athletic accomplishments included a New Jersey Indoor 3200m Sectional championship, New Jersey Indoor Meet of Champions 3200m 9th Place, New Jersey Indoor First Team All-Group 3 and broke records for the cross country 5K, indoor 1600m and indoor 3200m at his high school. In the classroom, Weiss was the Roxbury High School Scholar Athlete of the Year, in the National Honors Society and was a four-time recipient of the Renaissance Award.
Ian Zalewski – 5'11 – Verona, N.J. – Verona High School
Zalewski brings even more high-level experience and accolades to the men's cross country team. He is a school record holder for the indoor and outdoor 1600m and 800m, a multi-time state sectional champion in 800m, 1600m and 3200m and an Essex County cross country champion in 2023 and 2024. In the classroom, Zalewski was a three-time National Mandarin Honor Society member, three-time National Math Honor Society member and three-time National Computer Science Honor Society member.
"With the addition of the first-year group, we will have a very balanced team across the different classes," said Etters. "It was awesome getting to know the student-athletes and their families during the recruiting process and I look forward to learning even more about them soon."
Follow Lehigh Cross Country/Track and Field on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram for continued updates on the Mountain Hawks.
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"Overall, I am very pleased with our recruiting efforts for the class of 2028," said Etters. "We have standouts that will provide a major impact in our cross country program and at the middle-distance and distance levels of our track and field team. It is exciting to be welcoming them to campus in the middle of August."
Charlie Butler – 6'0 – Severna Park, Md. – Mount Saint Joseph High School
A four-sport athlete, Butler excelled athletically and academically at Mount Saint Joseph High School in Baltimore, Maryland. He garnered many achievements as an indoor track, outdoor track and cross county runner, including First Team All-Conference in indoor and cross country, MSJ Conference First Place in indoor and outdoor, three Team MVP awards and many more. In the classroom, Butler was a member of the National Honor Society, French Honor Society, Rho Kappa Honor Society, Written Word Contest Winner, Harvard Prize Book Award Winner and a 16-time member of the Honor Roll.
Ben Connell – 5'8 – Far Hills, N.J. – Bernards High School
A competitor in the 3K, 5K, 10K, 8K and 10K cross country events, Connell brings his talents to Lehigh from Bernards High School. He earned Second Team All-State, First Team All-Conference, a Skyland Conference Championship and a North Two Group Two Sectional Championship during his high school career. In the classroom, Connell was a member of the National Honor Society, an AP Scholar with distinction and an AP Scholar with honor.
Issac Greene – 6'2 – Roxbury, N.J. – Blair Academy
Greene joins the Lehigh cross country program after competing at Blair Academy in New Jersey. He had an accomplished high school career that included 15 MAPL championships and 15 state championships in multiple events. In addition, Greene has competed at New Balance Nationals on three separate occasions. Running is in Greene's blood, as his mother was a collegiate cross country athlete.
Will Mrozinski – 6'3 – Haddon Heights, N.J. – Paul VI
Originally from New Jersey, Mronzinski spent a year Paul VI High School in Virginia after running for a high school close to home. Mronzinski was an All-South Jersey Team selection in 2023, placed 19th at the 2023 Cross Country Meet of Champions, was a two-time Bob Kiesling Invite champion, four-time All-Conference First Team selection in cross country and a two-time All-Conference First Team selection in track. He was also an accomplished student, being named salutatorian, Camden County Best Overall Student and an AP Distinguished Scholar.
Peter Priestner – 5'10 – Montvale, N.J. – Pascack Hills High School
A two-sport athlete in both TFXC/basketball, Priestner joins the Lehigh cross country program from Pascack Hills High School. Priestner earned First Team All-League and Third Team All-County honors while also being named a two-time cross country captain and Pascack Hills Track Athlete of the Year. In the classroom, Priestner was the Big North Conference Scholar Athlete Award and was on the High Honor Roll.
Jared Weiss – 5'9 – Roxbury, N.J. – Roxbury High School
Another Roxbury, New Jersey product, Weiss comes to Lehigh after competing at Roxbury High School. His athletic accomplishments included a New Jersey Indoor 3200m Sectional championship, New Jersey Indoor Meet of Champions 3200m 9th Place, New Jersey Indoor First Team All-Group 3 and broke records for the cross country 5K, indoor 1600m and indoor 3200m at his high school. In the classroom, Weiss was the Roxbury High School Scholar Athlete of the Year, in the National Honors Society and was a four-time recipient of the Renaissance Award.
Ian Zalewski – 5'11 – Verona, N.J. – Verona High School
Zalewski brings even more high-level experience and accolades to the men's cross country team. He is a school record holder for the indoor and outdoor 1600m and 800m, a multi-time state sectional champion in 800m, 1600m and 3200m and an Essex County cross country champion in 2023 and 2024. In the classroom, Zalewski was a three-time National Mandarin Honor Society member, three-time National Math Honor Society member and three-time National Computer Science Honor Society member.
"With the addition of the first-year group, we will have a very balanced team across the different classes," said Etters. "It was awesome getting to know the student-athletes and their families during the recruiting process and I look forward to learning even more about them soon."
Follow Lehigh Cross Country/Track and Field on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram for continued updates on the Mountain Hawks.
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