Boys Varsity Cross Country

Program Overview

Cross Country Program

Cross Country became a varsity sport at The Frederick Gunn School in the early 1960s. Highlights of the program's history include New England divisional championships in 1974 and 1986, along with numerous male and female All-New England runners — headed by Pat O’Neil ’76, who won the individual championship outright in both 1973 and 1974.

Gunn's Cross Country program fosters a culture of dedication and a genuine passion for distance running, welcoming both newcomers and seasoned competitors. Whether an athlete is discovering their stride or training to compete at the next level, daily practices are tailored to support personal improvement and elevate every individual runner. Through a consistent focus on endurance and a schedule of local meets, the program empowers runners to reach their goals while building a supportive, high-energy team environment.

The season includes six dual, tri, and quad meets, opening with the preseason Canterbury Invitational — which includes more than 35 independent school teams from the Northeast — and continuing into the eight-team O'Connell Invitational at mid-season, before closing with the NEPSTA Division III Championships. Runners train on some of the region's best terrain: Gunn sits adjacent to Steep Rock Preserve and its many trails and dirt roads, with additional routes throughout town, including the scenic 7.8-mile loop around Lake Waramaug.

Meet the Coaches

Jason Cirrito

Assistant Coach

Jason Cirrito joined the Mathematics Department faculty and 2025. He is an Assistant Coach for Boys and Girls Varsity Cross Country and Girls Varsity Tennis. Cirrito grew up in a family of six children on the North Shore of Long Island. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Vassar College in mathematics and statistics (with a concentration in core mathematics and applied mathematics) and physics. He was a member of Vassar’s DIII Cross Country, Indoor Track & Field, Outdoor Track & Field teams, running a 5K in 15:07, and was named to the Liberty League All-Academic Team for three consecutive years.
Morgen Fisher

Head Coach

Morgen grew up in Connecticut very close to The Frederick Gunn School campus. She graduated from the school in 2003 and went on to pursue a degree in aerospace at Middle Tennessee State University. She worked as a flight administrator and part-time charter pilot for a local company during the time between college and returning to The Frederick Gunn School to work. In the summers she continues to fly as a flight instructor out of Waterbury-Oxford airport. On campus, she teaches Earth and Physical Science, is the Science Department Chair, and Head Coach for Varsity Cross Country. Morgen lives in Beebe House with her husband, Elliott, their children, Hayden, Nathan and Connor, and their dog, a Mastiff-mix named Yeager (for record-setting test pilot Chuck Yeager).
Ian Rathkey

Assistant Coach

Ian Rathkey is an Assistant Coach for Varsity Cross Country, and Head Coach for X-Term in the winter. A native of New Jersey, he holds a bachelor's degree in East Asian studies from Connecticut College and a master's in international studies from Johns Hopkins University and the Nanjing University Center for Chinese and American Studies. Prior to joining The Frederick Gunn School in 2021, as the Mandarin teacher and International Student Coordinator, Ian lived in Beijing and served as the Resident Director for the Chinese Overseas Flagship Program with the American Councils for International Education. He was also a remote translator and copy editor for Clean Air Asia. Ian has taught and tutored math for the SAT/PSAT and volunteered as a camp counselor. In his free time, he enjoys hiking, running, reading, playing games and constructing and solving crossword puzzles. Fun fact: he made his debut as a New York Times crossword puzzle creator in 2021.

Roster