NCAA Cross Country Championships 2026: Full Fields Confirmed After At-Large Selections
The fields for the 2026 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships are complete following Saturday afternoon’s announcement of the at-large selections, with 32 men’s teams and 32 women’s teams now preparing to race for national titles in Terre Haute, Indiana, on November 21.
Friday’s regional championships determined 18 automatic qualifiers in each competition, with the top two teams from each of the nine regions advancing. The NCAA selection committee added 14 at-large teams to each field, completing the team lineups for next Saturday’s championships.
BYU secured at-large invitations for both its men’s and women’s teams, while Northern Arizona, Stanford, Wisconsin and Wichita State were among the additional men’s selections. Colorado, Utah, Michigan and Virginia featured among the women’s teams awarded at-large berths.
Indiana State University will host the championships at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course. The women’s 6km race starts at 10:20 a.m. Eastern Time, followed by the men’s 10km championship at 11:10 a.m. Eastern Time.
Men’s Qualifying Teams
| Automatic qualifiers | At-large selections |
|---|---|
| Alabama | Arizona |
| Arkansas | BYU |
| Colorado | Butler |
| Eastern Kentucky | Michigan |
| Florida | Michigan State |
| Georgetown | Minnesota |
| Harvard | Northern Arizona |
| Iowa State | Portland |
| New Mexico | Princeton |
| Notre Dame | Stanford |
| Oklahoma State | Tennessee |
| Oregon | Virginia Tech |
| Syracuse | Wichita State |
| Toledo | Wisconsin |
| Tulane | — |
| Villanova | — |
| Wake Forest | — |
| Washington | — |
Women’s Qualifying Teams
| Automatic qualifiers | At-large selections |
|---|---|
| Alabama | BYU |
| Arkansas | Clemson |
| Boston College | Colorado |
| Florida | Duke |
| Iowa State | Indiana |
| NC State | Michigan |
| New Mexico | Minnesota |
| Northern Arizona | Missouri |
| Notre Dame | North Carolina |
| Oklahoma State | Northwestern |
| Oregon | Syracuse |
| Penn State | Utah |
| Providence | Virginia |
| SMU | Virginia Tech |
| South Carolina | — |
| Toledo | — |
| Washington State | — |
| West Virginia | — |
At-Large Decisions Complete the Regional Picture
BYU’s women will have the opportunity to challenge for the national title after finishing third behind New Mexico and Northern Arizona at the Mountain Regional. Colorado and Utah also received women’s at-large invitations from that region.
Virginia Tech’s men earned a place after narrowly missing automatic qualification in the Southeast, where Eastern Kentucky edged the Hokies by a single point for second. Stanford also advanced through selection after finishing behind Oregon and Washington in the West.
Wichita State joined Midwest automatic qualifiers Oklahoma State and Iowa State in the men’s championship field, with Minnesota also receiving an at-large berth.
Toledo’s historic achievement remains one of the leading stories heading into nationals. The Rockets swept the Great Lakes regional titles, with their men securing the first NCAA Championships appearance in program history. New Mexico, Alabama and Oregon also won both regional team competitions.
Individual Qualifiers Confirmed
Alongside the team selections, 38 individual athletes were selected for each championship through automatic qualification and at-large selection. Every individual qualifier finished inside the top 25 at their regional meet.
The men’s individual field includes Southeast champion Elsingi Kipruto of Louisville, Mountain champion Titus Kimaru of Texas Tech and Northeast winner Fredrick Kipkosgei of Hofstra.
Among the women advancing individually are South Central champion Elizabeth Khatevi of Texas A&M–Corpus Christi, Akron teammates Mercy Jebitok and Megan Hipple, and Villanova’s Rosemary Shay and Tilly O’Connor.
These athletes will contest the individual championship alongside runners representing the 32 qualifying teams in each race.
| Region | athlete | School |
|---|---|---|
| Great Lakes | ||
| Mercy Jebitok | Akron | |
| Megan Hipple | Akron | |
| Rachael Hoover | Bowling Green | |
| Klaire Eighner | Michigan State | |
| South | ||
| Faith Chelangat | Auburn | |
| Mary Ogwoka | Tennessee | |
| Evalyne Wambui | Middle Tennessee | |
| Mercy Sergon | Jacksonville State | |
| Mid-Atlantic | ||
| Barrett Justema | Georgetown | |
| Maureen Cheruiyot | Pittsburgh | |
| Rosemary Shay | Villanova | |
| Tilly O’Connor | Villanova | |
| South Central | ||
| Elizabeth Khatevi | Texas A&M - Corpus Christi | |
| Ruth Kimeli | Baylor | |
| Debora Cherono | Texas A&M | |
| Blezzin Kimutai | Tulane | |
| Valentine Jemutai | Stephen F. Austin | |
| Edna Chepkemoi | LSU | |
| Midwest | ||
| Domtila Cheruto | Oklahoma | |
| Emmaculate Jemutai | Kansas | |
| Sanae Hassnaoui | Oklahoma | |
| Ali Bainbridge | Nebraska | |
| Southeast | ||
| Brighter Jepchumba | Eastern Kentucky | |
| Ann Lemirisho | Kentucky | |
| Edna Chelulei | Eastern Kentucky | |
| Doricah Minsari Isoe | Kentucky | |
| Mountain | ||
| Caren Kipsirat | Utah Valley | |
| Eowyn Dalbec | Wyoming | |
| Natalie Swain | Utah State | |
| Ella Johnson | Air Force | |
| West | ||
| Mercy Chepkemoi | Arizona | |
| Kaiya Robertson | Boise State | |
| Tatiana Cornejo | Cal Poly | |
| Julia Flynn | Stanford | |
| Northeast | ||
| Adrienne Buettner-Cable | Boston | |
| Sascha Letica | Connecticut | |
| Olivia Murray | Columbia | |
| Hebe Chadwick | Yale |
VIEW ALL RESULTS BY REGIONAL BELOW:
- WEST REGIONAL RESULTS
- SOUTHEAST REGIONAL RESULTS
- SOUTH CENTRAL REGIONAL RESULTS
- SOUTH REGIONAL RESULTS
- NORTHEAST REGIONAL RESULTS
- MOUNTAIN REGIONAL RESULTS
- MIDWEST REGIONAL RESULTS
- MID-ATLANTIC REGIONAL RESULTS
- GREAT LAKES REGIONAL RESULTS
