For first-year student Raya Mount, joining the Ithaca College cross-country team was not part of the plan.
Growing up in nearby Trumansburg, New York, Mount never imagined herself pursuing running after high school. Track served as a spring sport that kept her in shape and provided her with another competitive outlet, but her athletic life had always centered around basketball and soccer. Running was a side activity and a means to an end for her.
When choosing schools, Mount said that sports were not a consideration at all.
“I actually didn’t apply to any other schools,” Mount said. “I wasn’t planning on running here either. It was just because of the OT [Occupational Therapy] program, and during my track season, my coach was like, ‘Hey, do you want me to reach out to the coach there?’”
That casual remark opened up an opportunity she did not know existed. Mount was getting ready to graduate by the late spring of her senior year, with occupational therapy education taking precedence over her athletic aspirations. However, she was referred to Erin Dinan, head coach of the IC women’s cross-country team, by her high school coach, Bryce DeSantis.
DeSantis set up a phone call between Mount and Dinan to test the waters. Mount said she was nervous for the conversation, sitting on the edge of her seat.
“I don’t like talking on the phone, it makes me nervous in general,” Mount said. “[Dinan] was like, ‘Is [track] something you’d want to try?’ And I kind of just said yes. I don’t think I even really thought about what I said until a few weeks later.”
Dinan saw this as more than simply a chance to develop talent. She had previously witnessed individuals like Mount — multisport athletes with natural endurance, athleticism and a desire to learn — who had not dedicated years to cross-country.
“It’s very exciting for me to see somebody who is new at it,” Dinan said. “There’s untapped talent there.”
Mount gained recognition for her adaptability in Trumansburg, a small town about 15 miles north of Ithaca. Athletes are frequently relied upon by small high schools to cover various rosters, and Mount flourished there. Soccer was in the fall; basketball was in the winter. In spring, Mount started to discover she might be more of a runner than she thought.
DeSantis had a front-row seat to her development.
“She had a great senior track season, and I thought, ‘You know what, she could run at IC,’” DeSantis said. “She’s determined. You put some miles on her, and all of a sudden she’s going to be a different runner.”
For DeSantis, the concept was about potential rather than marketing Mount as a completed product. Athletes who divide their time between different sports do not usually gain as much mileage as year-round runners since high school track seasons are brief. However, Mount’s perseverance and drive persuaded him that she could succeed with the correct curriculum.
That transition began in August, when Mount arrived on South Hill for preseason. IC athletes reported early, giving first-years like Mount a crash course in training before the rest of campus filled with students.
Running was not all there was to it. Early morning drills, lengthy runs on the Ithaca-area trails, and group dinners in the dining hall were all part of the program. The adjustment was still a difficult one for a first-year student who never saw herself as a distance runner. Mount discovered that the feeling of belonging gave her a surge of energy and quiet confidence.
Dinan noticed it right away.
“She just loves it,” Dinan said. “You wouldn’t have ever known she had never run cross-country before. She fell right in, and that speaks a lot about her.”
Part of that ease came from her personality. Both coaches described Mount as grounded: someone who does not overthink but simply shows up ready to work. That outlook has helped her adapt to training loads that would have seemed impossible just a year ago.
For decades, Ithaca College’s cross-country program has thrived on athletes like Mount. Dinan, now in her 16th year with the team, has built a culture of consistency, leading the Bombers to six ECAC championships and 14 Empire 8 championships. Yet what makes her program unique is the balance between development and results.
Some runners arrive with state titles and mileage logs dating back to middle school. Others, like Mount, come with limited experience but a hunger to improve. The team’s structure, Dinan said, allows both types to flourish.
“It’s about seeing what they can become,” Dinan said. “With Raya, there’s excitement because we don’t know where her ceiling is yet.”
The team saw another similar addition this year with junior Lola Gitlin. Gitlin transferred in Spring 2024 from Long Island University, with plans to join the soccer team. After arriving at IC, however, she made the switch to track.
During the 2015-16 season, the Bombers made it to the NCAA Championships. Dinan said around half of her roster that year was composed of athletes who had not started running cross-country until college. She said that runners have had backgrounds in gymnastics, soccer and basketball. Parley Hannan ’21 played on the tennis team her sophomore year before switching to long-distance running. She was named the 5,000-meter and 10,000-meter run national champion in 2021.
Where Mount’s career goes from here is uncertain, but the possibilities are intriguing. As she adjusts to the demands of a college training schedule and builds the mileage she lacked in high school, her potential expands. Dinan said she knows that patience will be key, but she is excited to see what unfolds.
“She has all the pieces,” Dinan said. “It’s just about putting them together.”
