Newburgh Free Academy girls’ cross country will enter the 2026 season with an experienced group and an opportunity to build the foundation of a stronger distance program.

Newburgh coach Kathi Workman, who has 12 years of coaching experience, and assistant coach John Workman, who has coached for three years, will lead a team that returns nearly its entire roster from last season.

The Goldbacks graduated just one runner, Vanessa Caraballo, leaving a strong group of returning athletes.

Gabrielle Robles, Evangely Torres, Michelle Erazo and Isabella Blanco are among the Goldbacks’ key returners.

Workman also welcomes five newcomers: Alivia Karabelas, Micah Reynolds, Jasmine Ramirez, Elizabeth Sulaj and Destiny Oates.
With the combination of returning runners and new additions, the Goldbacks are focused on developing their distance program and continuing to grow throughout the season.

“We only graduated one cross-country runner last year, and have quite a few newcomers, so we are excited to start building the distance program in Newburgh,” Workman said.

The returning experience gives the Goldbacks a solid starting point as they look to make progress and establish a stronger presence.

Boys
The boys’ team will enter the 2026 season with a mix of returning experience and promising newcomers as the Goldbacks continue to grow.

The Goldbacks finished with a 1-3 record in division competition last season, but have graduated Oren Miller and Logan Conn. They return a core group that gained valuable experience as underclassmen.
Senior captains Kiernan Judson and Jeremy Torres will provide leadership, while sophomore Cooper Schmidt and junior Elijah Chalfin also return.

Newburgh adds junior Noah Valentine and freshman Joe Marino to a roster that ninth-year coach Chris Marino hopes will continue the program’s growth.

“Our boys’ program has been growing, and we look to continue to create a distance-running community in Newburgh,” Marino said. “Our team is mixed with youth and experience.”

The Goldbacks were a young team last season, but Marino believes that experience will benefit the group this fall.
“We are a bit more experienced and look forward to another season of growth,” Marino said.

With a stronger base of returning runners and several newcomers, Newburgh will look to continue developing its program and establish a lasting distance-running culture within the program.