DUBUQUE, Iowa - Freshman seasons are often defined by adjustment, learning new routines, new teammates and new expectations. For Keelee and Owen Leitzen, however, their first year as Duhawks became something far more memorable: a season of breakthrough performances that extended a deep family legacy in Purple and Gold at Loras College.

For Keelee Leitzen, the road to her debut season in cross country and track and field was shaped by resilience. After beginning her collegiate career at Iowa State University, injuries disrupted her freshman year and left her to reconsider what she wanted from college athletics. A transfer to Loras offered a fresh start and a chance to rediscover both health and joy in competition.

"My first season with the Duhawks has been a very enjoyable and exciting experience," Keelee said. "Transferring to Loras was the best decision that I could have made for myself and for my athletic career. I have received nothing but support and encouragement from my teammates and coaches."

That support was critical as Keelee worked her way back from bilateral grade-four stress reactions in both tibias. After spending eight weeks in a boot and on crutches, her summer training was limited, consisting mostly of light running and swimming.

"Getting back into training was hard," she said. "But after about a month and a half of base training, I started to feel like I would be prepared to race the cross country season."

Guided by head coach, Ethan Adlfinger, Keelee's return to competition was carefully structured around patience and long-term goals. Adlfinger believes her impact extends far beyond race results.

"Keelee is a team member that pushes a program to new heights in every way imaginable," Adlfinger said. "She makes practice fun, and when we are having fun, I have found we are running at our best. Keelee wants to be the best version of herself, and it inspires those around her to do the same."

Adlfinger also noted the trust the Leitzen family placed in the programs when Keelee made her decision to transfer.

"Keelee and her family have put a tremendous amount of trust in the Loras College Cross Country and Track and Field programs, and that is something I will always appreciate from them," he said. "She really could go almost anywhere in the country but chose Loras to be the right home for her."

The result was a freshman cross country season few could have predicted months earlier. Keelee broke her goal of running under 21:30 in the 6K at the conference meet with a time of 21:24, earning American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) Most Valuable Runner and Rookie of the Year honors. She later capped the season by qualifying for the NCAA Cross Country National Championships in South Carolina.

"This season was a lot of trusting the process and staying patient," Keelee said.

Her momentum carried directly into her indoor track debut. Competing for the first time indoors, Keelee wasted little time making an impact. She broke the school record in the 600 meters with a time of 1:35.69 and set a new program mark in the 800 meters at 2:10.72 early in the season, then rebroke her own 800-meter record by clocking 2:09.83 at the Boston University Valentine Invitational.

Keelee was named the A-R-C indoor track and field Rookie of the Year, captured the conference title in the mile with a time of 4:54.35, which now ranks second in program history and anchored the distance medley relay team to a conference title in 12:13.18, a time that ranks ninth all-time in history.

Adlfinger believes her success reflects what is possible within the program's culture.

"My hope in coaching her is that Loras can give back to her as much as she will give to Loras," Adlfinger said. "She has proven and will continue to prove that in the right athletic environment and with the support of family and teammates, you can be one of the nation's best at Loras College."

While Keelee was making her mark on the course and track, her brother Owen was doing the same in the pool with the Loras men's swimming program.

"My first season as a Duhawk was very enjoyable and a huge success," Owen said. "Coming out of high school with a state championship, I didn't think swim could get better. I was a little scared that I wouldn't fit in, but everyone made me feel at home on the first day. The team made practices fun and made the six-month season fly by."

By season's end, Owen earned A-R-C Rookie of the Year honors and now ranks second all-time in Loras history in the 50-, 100- and 200-yard freestyle events. He also owns the school record in the 100-yard butterfly and is part of the program's top-ranked 400-yard freestyle relay team.

"I had many successes this season, and these would not have been possible without my teammates challenging me in practice and Coach Nick holding me accountable every day," Owen said.

Head coach Nick Wyllie saw that growth up close all season long.

"It's been great having Owen as a part of our team this year," Wyllie said. "He has helped push his teammates in practice and his work ethic was contagious. It has been an absolute pleasure coaching Owen. With him being so new to the sport, we were always able to learn something new along the way during the season. Each time he raced we would study and really dig into the details on how to improve and what to change. And then each practice there was always a focus. So, he would push himself to the limit each day trying to work on what we had determined to be the focus. And because of that, he absolutely smashed his lifetime bests this year. He is only scratching the surface of what he is capable of and is going to turn some heads over the next few years."

Behind Leitzen's breakout freshman year is a deeper family connection to Loras. Both of his parents are Loras alumni, making his decision to become a Duhawk about more than just swimming.

"I am happy I get to follow in my parent's footsteps coming to Loras to compete as a Duhawk," Owen said. "Going into my senior year of high school I was unsure where I wanted to go to college and if I even wanted to go. My dad talked me into continuing my athletic career by telling me that I have my whole life to work but now is the only time I can compete as a college athlete. I am happy that I chose to come to Loras to swim and my parents love to support all my athletic achievements."

Behind both freshman breakouts is a family connection to Loras that stretches beyond Keelee and Owen. The Leitzen siblings are following in the footsteps of Chad ('99) and Amber (Schmidt) Leitzen ('02), who both competed in cross country and track and field during their time at Loras. Their family ties to the college also include cousin Averi (Leitzen) Nugent ('20), who ran for the cross country and track programs at Loras as well.

During their own collegiate careers, Chad and Amber left their marks on the program record books. Chad competed in the indoor 800 meters (1:58.65), 1,500 meters (4:04.94), which ranks ninth all-time in program history, and the mile (4:18.50), ranking 15th all-time. Outdoors, he ran the 1,500 meters in 3:58.12, which ranks 24th in Loras program history. Amber recorded an indoor 1,500-meter time of 4:57.40, ranking fifth in the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) and fifth all-time at Loras. Outdoors, she ran the 400 meters in 61.73, the 800 meters in 2:16.18, which ranks fifth in the IIAC and 12th in program history, and the 1,500 meters in 4:49.80, ranking sixth in the IIAC and 21st in Loras history.

For Chad and Amber, watching their children follow the same path has been deeply meaningful.

"Our college experience was a positive one both in our athletics and fields of study," they said. "We have always wanted our children to experience the same joy in their college experience. We never pushed them to choose Loras, but we are thrilled that they did. Seeing the joy that they are experiencing only comes from a college that truly feels like home."

They say the lessons learned through Loras athletics continue to shape their family.

"We both participated in track and cross country where we gained lifelong friendships with teammates that truly felt like a second family," they said. "Running at Loras is what brought us together and we are forever grateful for that. Loras taught us that hard work and dedication to something we are passionate about leads to joy and success."

Those values are now being passed on to the next generation.

"We hope that the sense of dedication and responsibility that we have instilled in them from a very young age will carry with them long after their collegiate careers have ended," Chad and Amber said. "We hope that they find careers that give them as much joy as their sports bring them."

Together, Keelee and Owen represent the next chapter of a family story rooted in Loras Athletics, one built on perseverance, trust and opportunity. As freshmen, they did more than adjust to college life. They turned their first season into a year of records, championships and renewed purpose.