Knoxville, TN - Sullivan West Freshman Bryce Bressler competed at the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) Cross Country National Championships on December 6, 2025, at Victor Ashe Park in Knoxville, Tennessee. The competition brought together some of the best cross-country runners in the nation, from ages 8-18. 

Bressler competed in the 14-year-old age division and finished 4th in the nation, covering the hilly, sloppy 4-kilometer course in a time of 13:57. The top 8 finishers in each age division were awarded All-American honors.

Said a clearly drained Bressler after his race, “There was just so much mud, I couldn’t do anything.”

“I knew after scouting the course the day before the race that it would be very challenging for Bryce,” said Bressler’s father and Sullivan West Assistant Coach Karl Bressler. “Bryce has very long legs for his age, and he’s a rhythm runner. He’s very dangerous on flat and fast courses where he just eats it up with his stride. We didn’t have that on this course, which was very hilly and slick from the mud. But he still fought extremely hard for a high place, and I’m very proud of him.”

The race capped off a successful cross-country season that saw Bressler finish 2nd in the Section IX Class D championship and go on to represent Sullivan West to a high finish in the State Championships. So, what’s next for Bressler? “I have very high goals for indoor and outdoor track seasons,” he says. So, what are those goals? “I’m not ready to reveal those yet, but when I achieve them, it will be a great day.”