Unlike track and field, cross country isn't often celebrated for the fast times it produces. The sport's ultimate achievements are typically measured by championships, state titles, qualifying for a national meet, or becoming a national champion.
But even on courses that vary week to week, time still tells a powerful story.
While results matter, personal improvement remains one of the most compelling narratives in cross country. Every runner who toes the line is chasing growth, and in 2025, no group embodied that better than California's most improved boys.
Using performance data from the 2024 and 2025 seasons, we analyzed California's fastest 2,000 boys and identified the athletes who made the most significant year-over-year jumps in the three-mile and 5,000-meter cross-country races.
MOST IMPROVED CA BOYS XC RUNNERS OF 2025
Nikola Van Delft (Campolindo) was the most improved 5K runner by time, lowering his mark by 2 minutes and 15 seconds from the previous season. Damian Nava (Schurr) led the way in the three-mile, cutting 2 minutes and 9 seconds off his 2024 best.
While Van Delft and Nava showcased remarkable improvement by the clock, one athlete's leap stood out when factoring in role, consistency, and championship-level performance.
MileSplit California's 2025 Most Improved XC Boy of the Year
Marco Franco has been named MileSplit California's 2025 Most Improved XC Boy of the Year after transforming from Great Oak's solid No. 5 runner into the program's lone CIF State Championships qualifier.
Following the graduation of four seniors, Franco stepped into a leadership role immediately, serving as Great Oak's low stick in every major meet throughout the season.
Franco's most striking improvement came in the three-mile, where he dropped 37 seconds to run 14:26 at the CIF Southern Section Championships. At this meet, Great Oak missed the CIF State XC Championships as a team for the first time in 17 years, but Franco qualified individually, underscoring his elite status.
At the CIF State XC Championships, Franco placed 14th in Division 1, a significant improvement over his 35th-place finish the previous year. The leap wasn't merely statistical; it showed a runner who embraced pressure, elevated his role, and delivered when it mattered most.
Top 10 Most Improved 5K
| Ranking | Athlete | 2024 | 2025 | Difference |
| 1 | Nikola Van Delft - Campolindo (NC) | 17:40.20 | 15:24.50 | 2:15.70 |
| 2 | Thomas Carr - Banning (SS) | 17:58.00 | 15:47.50 | 2:10.50 |
| 3 | Ryan Ochs - Tracy (SJ) | 18:00.90 | 15:53.13 | 2:07.77 |
| 4 | Rohan Iyer - Milpitas (CC) | 17:47.40 | 15:40.20 | 2:07.20 |
| 5 | Keith Buswell - Poway (SD) | 18:07.85 | 16:00.90 | 2:06.95 |
| 6 | Flynn Gardner - La Serna (SS) | 17:36.00 | 15:30.90 | 2:05.10 |
| 7 | Ryan Cabreira - De La Salle (NC) | 18:01.00 | 15:56.60 | 2:04.40 |
| 8 | Geoff McCrary - Arnold O. Beckman (SS) | 17:38.60 | 15:34.70 | 2:03.90 |
| 9 | Jonah Vasquez - Alliance Levine (LA) | 16:58.60 | 14:56.00 | 2:02.60 |
| 10 | Abhinav Aggarwal - Bellarmine College Prep (CC) | 17:48.30 | 15:49.26 | 1:59.0 |
| Ranking | Athlete | 2024 | 2025 | Difference |
| 1 | Damian Nava - Schurr (SS) | 16:48.19 | 14:38.20 | 2:09.99 |
| 2 | Simon Barrera - La Serna (SS) | 17:01.30 | 14:57.20 | 2:04.10 |
| 3 | Cody Wheeler - West Torrance (SS) | 16:58.30 | 15:01.10 | 1:57.20 |
| 4 | Rishikesh Bhushan - Aliso Niguel (SS) | 16:44.10 | 14:47.10 | 1:57.00 |
| 5 | Teal Greene - Pacifica Christian - SanMon(SS) | 16:52.00 | 14:56.50 | 1:55.50 |
| 6 | Dominic De Vicente - Buena (SS) | 16:57.50 | 15:03.30 | 1:54.20 |
| 7 | Gunner Silva - Classical Academy (SD) | 16:20.20 | 14:28.50 | 1:51.70 |
| 8 | Sam Jurcazak - Arroyo Grande (CS) | 16:42.70 | 14:53.61 | 1:49.09 |
| 9 | Thomas Capelli - Oak Ridge (SJ) | 16:42.20 | 14:54.90 | 1:47.30 |
| 10 | Brandon Fischer - Ventura (SS) | 16:42.70 | 15:00.20 | 1:42.50 |