Dressler to W&J
BUTLER TWP — Aden Dressler felt an instant connection.
The Butler senior distance runner believed in that connection enough to decide to continue his academic and running career at Washington & Jefferson College. He will run cross country and track for the Presidents.
“When I visited there, I just hit it off with their coach,” Dressler said. “It just felt comfortable. I like what he's doing with the program and I know there are a lot of other top recruits coming in.”
Dressler also considered Waynesburg and Allegheny before deciding on W&J. The Presidents' men's cross country and track and field head coach is Mars graduate Derek Workman.
While Dressler will compete in the 1,600 and 3,200 meter events along with the 4x800 relay, he prefers cross country as a sport.
“After a while, running laps gets a little boring,” he said, laughing. “I like the trails, running a course.”
Workman is entering his second season as W&J head coach. He led the Presidents to the Presidents' Athletic Conference cross country championship in his first year. Harley Moyer, two-time PAC individual cross country champ, is graduating from the program.
Two Seneca Valley graduates are among the 11-man W&J cross country roster. They are incoming senior Grant McCarthy — who placed fourth overall at the PAC Championships — and incoming junior Parker Laughlin.
Workman was named PAC Cross Country Coach of the Year last fall. W&J's men's track team finished fourth at the PAC Championships.
“I feel like I'm joining this program at the right time,” Dressler said.
Butler cross country coach Rick Davanzati said W&J is getting Dressler at the right time as well.
“Aden is a very young senior,” Davanzati said. “In terms of development, he's like a junior right now. It'd be nice if we could get him back here for one more year.
“He's got the mentality of a distance runner, the determination. His body is going to mature more and as it does, that will improve his distance pace.”
The coach added that “any of the three choices Aden had narrowed down to would have been good for him.”
Undecided on a major, Dressler wants to work with the Spanish language and in the field of business. He is carrying a 4.0 grade point average.
He got started in cross country in seventh grade.
“I was influenced a lot by my cousin, Cameron Stauffer, who ran cross country at Seneca Valley,” Dressler said. “He ran at Duquesne (University) as well.”
Dressler's athletic goals at W&J are modest ones.
“Just to have a nice running career,” he said.”The big thing is to set myself up in the job field. That's what's most important.”
