Ep. 157 - From 2X NXR Team Champs To Fastest Freshmen Twins In the NCAA: The Rise of Max and Zack Cervi-Skinner

Hello, and welcome back to another episode of The Sunday Shakeout! I am your host, Nicholas.

Today on the show, I had the pleasure of chatting with the fastest freshman twins in the NCAA this fall at Wake Forest…

Zack and Max Cervi-Skinner. They’re from Idaho, where they ran for Coeur D’Alene High School and built quite the legacy for CDA Distance.

In 2023 and 2024, they led the CDA boys to a team title at the Nike Cross Regionals Northwest Meet—one of the most competitive regions in the nation. And just this past winter, the CDA squad placed second at the Nike Indoor Nationals 4 x mile. Back in May, Max became a state champion in the 3200 at the Idaho State Track Meet—a storybook ending to his high school career after battling injury and illness that lasted months into the spring.

Today, it was fascinating to me to get an inside look at the championship culture that Max and Zack built—essentially from scratch—over in Coeur D’Alene.

As freshmen in high school, the team only managed to finish 11th at the Idaho State meet in cross country. Yet two years later, they hoisted the trophy as the best team in the entire region. Hearing about—and learning from—the ups and downs, as well as the unique dynamic Max and Zack have as twins, was incredibly interesting.

There’s a lot of praise for individual performances and for showing out as one of the best athletes in your state or region. But beyond that—and having been part of a championship culture myself—I know it’s truly a sacred, special experience to be part of a high-performing, dominant team dynamic. The brotherhood and camaraderie formed at the top are like nothing else. It goes far beyond what you can achieve as an individual. I believe you’ll get a glimpse of that in my conversation with Max and Zack today.

But before we get into the show, please—if you haven’t already, and if you’re enjoying this podcast—I would really appreciate a follow and a five-star review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or whatever platform you’re listening on. That goes a long way in supporting the growth of The Sunday Shakeout. That’s all I ask.

Other than that, sit back, relax, and enjoy my conversation with Max and Zack Cervi-Skinner.