Last updated: November 1, 2026
The 2026 NCAA Cross Country Championships are Saturday, November 21, in Terre Haute, Indiana, and the road there starts with regionals on November 13. New Mexico’s men enter as the national favorites, BYU’s women have taken over the No. 1 ranking, and both 2025 champions, Oklahoma State and NC State, are back in the title picture.
Quick summary
- Division I nationals: Saturday, November 21, 2026, at the LaVern Gibson Championship Course in Terre Haute (host: Indiana State), on ESPNU.
- Regionals are Friday, November 13, in nine regions; the at-large selection show follows on November 14.
- Each race has 32 teams and 38 individuals.
- 2025 champions: Oklahoma State men (57 points) and NC State women (114 points).
2026 NCAA Cross Country Championships at a Glance
According to NCAA.com, the Division I championships return to the LaVern Gibson course, one of the sport’s best-known championship venues.
- Date: Saturday, November 21, 2026
- Site: LaVern Gibson Championship Course, Terre Haute, Indiana
- Host: Indiana State
- TV: ESPNU
- Regionals: Friday, November 13 (nine regions)
- Selections: Saturday, November 14, on NCAA.com
How teams qualify
The top two teams at each of the nine regionals qualify automatically, and 14 more are added as at-large selections, for 32 teams per race. Thirty-eight individuals not on qualifying teams also advance, including the first four regional finishers from non-qualifying teams. One bad regional race can end a season, which is what makes November 13 so tense.
How scoring works
Each team’s top five finishers score their place, and the lowest total wins. A team’s sixth and seventh runners do not score but can push opponents’ runners back, which is why depth often decides national titles.
The Contenders
Men: New Mexico vs. Oklahoma State
New Mexico has spent the second half of the season as the No. 1 team in the coaches’ poll, and LetsRun’s midseason review named the Lobos the NCAA favorites. Their main challenger is defending champion Oklahoma State, which beat New Mexico 57-82 for the 2025 title in Columbia, Missouri.
Follow the Lobos on the New Mexico men’s cross country page and the Cowboys on the Oklahoma State men’s cross country page.
Women: BYU vs. NC State
BYU moved to No. 1 in the women’s rankings in October. NC State, the defending champion, beat BYU 114-130 at last year’s meet, setting up a likely rematch. Track both programs on the BYU page and the NC State page.
Individual races at the 2026 NCAA Cross Country Championships
LetsRun described both individual races as wide open at midseason, which means regionals and the final weeks of training could reshape the favorites list before November 21.
2025 NCAA Cross Country Results
- Men’s champion: Oklahoma State, 57 points (coach Dave Smith)
- Men’s runner-up: New Mexico, 82 points
- Women’s champion: NC State, 114 points (coach Laurie Henes)
- Women’s runner-up: BYU, 130 points
All four programs are in the 2026 title conversation again, so both team races could be rematches. For the full story of last year’s meet, read our 2025 NCAA cross country championships recap, and for the runners who broke out this fall, see college cross country 2026 early-season standouts.
What history says
Repeat titles are hard in cross country because rosters turn over and one off day at nationals can drop a contender several places. That puts extra weight on the 2026 NCAA Cross Country Championships for Oklahoma State and NC State, which both enter as defending champions but not as No. 1 seeds in the polls. For New Mexico and BYU, the challenge is different: holding a top ranking through regionals and a full month of pressure.
Key Dates Before the 2026 NCAA Cross Country Championships
- Nov. 13: Regionals hand out automatic team bids.
- Nov. 14: NCAA selection show fills the fields with at-large teams and individuals.
- Nov. 21: Division I nationals in Terre Haute, on ESPNU.
Division II runs December 4 at Rim Rock in Lawrence, Kansas, and Division III runs November 21 in Northfield, Minnesota.
The NIL Angle
Cross country runners rarely see the big NIL deals or revenue-sharing dollars that go to football and basketball. Most runners on the start line in Terre Haute have trained for years with little outside pay. Read our guide to college cross country NIL, see why budgets are tight in our look at college Olympic sports cuts, and browse the Mountain West page, home of the No. 1 Lobos.
FAQ
When is the 2026 NCAA Cross Country Championship?
Saturday, November 21, 2026, at the LaVern Gibson Championship Course in Terre Haute, Indiana.
What channel is the NCAA Cross Country Championship on?
The Division I championship airs on ESPNU.
Who won the 2025 NCAA cross country titles?
Oklahoma State won the men’s title with 57 points, and NC State won the women’s title with 114 points.
How many teams make NCAA cross country nationals?
Thirty-two teams per race, plus 38 individuals.
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