It should come as no surprise to any following the Brentwood Christian School cross country and track and field programs the past few years that Class of 2024 standout Renne Cooper is back in the news, now known among the most prestigious collegiate athletes in the country.
In his sophomore season at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cooper has quickly ascended to a status similar to the one he did while competing for the Bears: legendary.
After earning the NEWMAC all-conference Rookie of the Year award in 2024, Cooper elevated his game once again in 2025, earning a 27th place finish at the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships on Saturday, Nov. 22. The finish, and his time of 24:32.6, were good for All-American status. As a team, MIT finished ninth.
Cooper ran in the NCAA meet as a freshman last year, finishing 212th. He blew past his former time and finish this time around, finishing 13 spots clear of the maximum 40 places which earn All-American status.
Cooper had a strong season as a whole for the Engineers. He started the year off with a fifth-place finish at the Cardinal Invitational on Sept. 20, and most recently prior to Saturday, was third overall at the NEWMAC championships on Nov. 1. MIT won the conference for an unprecedented 27th year in a row.
In his senior season for the Bears, Cooper was the TAPPS 4A state cross country individual champion, and followed that up in the spring with gold medals in track and field in the 3200, 1600 and 800-meter races.
To read more about MIT and Cooper's season, click below.
