Cross Country Announces 2026 Schedule Starting September 4
Aug 28, 2026 | Cross Country
The Wildcats start the season back in Nebraska followed by four more meets
MANHATTAN, Kan. – The K-State men's and women's cross country teams announced the 2026 schedule on Friday (August 28) with the first race set for Friday, September 4. The Wildcats will start the season back at the Platte River Rumble Gold at Eugene T. Mahoney State Park in Ashland, Neb., for a consecutive year.
The teams will race in two more meets during the regular season, the Gans Creek Classic on Friday September 25 in Columbia, Mo., at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course, prior to the Weis-Crockett Invitational on Saturday, October 17 at the Greiner Family Cross Country Course in Stillwater, Okla.
The Big 12 Championship will start the postseason on Saturday, October 31, back in Stillwater, hosted by Oklahoma State. Fellow conference school Iowa State will host the NCAA Midwest Regional on Friday, November 13, at the Iowa State Cross Country Course in Ames, Iowa.
Qualifying athletes will then race in the NCAA Championship on Saturday, November 21, in Terre Haute, Ind., at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course.
Last year the women's team started off the season with a team win at the Platte River Rumble Gold with 34 points. The next two races will be held at a familiar course for most Wildcats, but the team has not ran in the Weis-Crockett Invite since 2022. K-State will spend consecutive races in Stillwater; marking the first time the Cowboys will host the conference championship since 2021.
The Cats had an offseason addition to the coaching staff; assistant Brent Ewing was hired on July 16 to oversee the distance and middle-distance runners. Ewing previously spent the last eight years as head coach at Indian Hills Community College where the men's team had two top-10 team finishes at the NJCAA Championship in the last six years, finishing 7th in 2020 and 10th in 2023.
The women's team features four upperclassmen, 5th year senior Cecilia Fisher and seniors Paige Baker and Angi Pondler as well as junior Christine Jerono. The rest of the team is comprised of 10 freshmen and sophomores, including Bree Allen (22:38.9), Payton Fink (22:49.1) and Hanna Keltner (23:07.1) who all ran in the 6k at the NCAA Midwest Regional last season.
The men's team has a roster of eight men, with senior Jacob Norris and juniors Jackson Esquibel and Brock Olsen. Freshman Max Larson is the lone newcomer on the team, a transfer from the University of Tulsa. Last year Logan Beckman (33:00.6) was the only freshman to compete in the only 10k of the season at the Midwest Regional finishing in 102nd place.
K-State 2026 Cross Country Schedule
September 4 Platte River Rumble Gold
September 25 Gans Creek Classic
October 17 Weis-Crockett Invitational
October 31 Big 12 Championship
November 13 NCAA Midwest Regional
November 21 NCAA Championship
How to follow the 'Cats: For complete information on the K-State Track and Field and Cross Country Teams, visit www.kstatesports.com and follow the team's social media channels on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Facebook.
The teams will race in two more meets during the regular season, the Gans Creek Classic on Friday September 25 in Columbia, Mo., at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course, prior to the Weis-Crockett Invitational on Saturday, October 17 at the Greiner Family Cross Country Course in Stillwater, Okla.
The Big 12 Championship will start the postseason on Saturday, October 31, back in Stillwater, hosted by Oklahoma State. Fellow conference school Iowa State will host the NCAA Midwest Regional on Friday, November 13, at the Iowa State Cross Country Course in Ames, Iowa.
Qualifying athletes will then race in the NCAA Championship on Saturday, November 21, in Terre Haute, Ind., at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course.
Last year the women's team started off the season with a team win at the Platte River Rumble Gold with 34 points. The next two races will be held at a familiar course for most Wildcats, but the team has not ran in the Weis-Crockett Invite since 2022. K-State will spend consecutive races in Stillwater; marking the first time the Cowboys will host the conference championship since 2021.
The Cats had an offseason addition to the coaching staff; assistant Brent Ewing was hired on July 16 to oversee the distance and middle-distance runners. Ewing previously spent the last eight years as head coach at Indian Hills Community College where the men's team had two top-10 team finishes at the NJCAA Championship in the last six years, finishing 7th in 2020 and 10th in 2023.
The women's team features four upperclassmen, 5th year senior Cecilia Fisher and seniors Paige Baker and Angi Pondler as well as junior Christine Jerono. The rest of the team is comprised of 10 freshmen and sophomores, including Bree Allen (22:38.9), Payton Fink (22:49.1) and Hanna Keltner (23:07.1) who all ran in the 6k at the NCAA Midwest Regional last season.
The men's team has a roster of eight men, with senior Jacob Norris and juniors Jackson Esquibel and Brock Olsen. Freshman Max Larson is the lone newcomer on the team, a transfer from the University of Tulsa. Last year Logan Beckman (33:00.6) was the only freshman to compete in the only 10k of the season at the Midwest Regional finishing in 102nd place.
K-State 2026 Cross Country Schedule
September 4 Platte River Rumble Gold
September 25 Gans Creek Classic
October 17 Weis-Crockett Invitational
October 31 Big 12 Championship
November 13 NCAA Midwest Regional
November 21 NCAA Championship
-- k-statesports.com --
How to follow the 'Cats: For complete information on the K-State Track and Field and Cross Country Teams, visit www.kstatesports.com and follow the team's social media channels on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Facebook.
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Wednesday, June 17
Monday, June 15
Thursday, June 11
Wednesday, June 10
