Men's Cross Country | 8/11/2026 2:24:00 PM
2026 Women's Cross Country Schedule
2026 Men's Cross Country Schedule
La Crosse, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse has announced its 2026 women's and men's cross country schedules. The Eagles open the season hosting the UWL Alumni/Intra-Squad Meet on Saturday, September 5 at Myrick Park in La Crosse.
Seven races are on the 2026 schedule, including the regular season opener at the University of Minnesota Roy Griak Invitational on Friday, September 18. The Eagles travel to the Carleton College (Minn.) Running of the Cows Invitational on Saturday, October 3 before competing at the Augustana College (Ill.) Interregional Invitational on Saturday, October 17.
The Eagles conclude their regular season with their annual dual at Luther College (Iowa) on Friday, October 23.
Postseason competition starts Saturday, October 31 with the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Championships at UW-Whitewater. UWL swept the league titles last season under head coach
Derek Stanley at UW-Oshkosh as the women's team won its fifth consecutive championship and the men's squad captured its eighth straight crown.
The women return 10 runners who placed in the top-19 at the 2025 WIAC Championships, including five in the top-10 with
Lily Higgins (third),
Annika Elliott (fifth),
Milana Pisto (seventh),
Julia Zalewski (eighth) and
Elizabeth Schwartz (10th). Five other top-19 finishers return with
Molly Novotny (11th),
Ryana Mathis (12th),
Becca Immer (15th),
Madison Twarling (16th) and
Mallory Reiser (19th).
On the men's side, three runners return who placed in the top-15 at the 2025 league championships with
Chuck Vater (sixth),
Nico Castellanos (12th) and
Owen Clark (15th).
Stanley, in his 15th season as head coach, has led the women's team to eight WIAC titles and the men's squad to 10. The Eagles have earned 189 all-conference honors, including 72 first team awards.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III North Regional is Saturday, November 14 at the St. Olaf Cross Country Course in Northfield, Minnesota and the NCAA Division III Championships are set for Saturday, November 21 at the Bill Huyck Championship Course in Northfield, Minnesota.
UWL also swept the 2025 NCAA Division III North Regional titles. The women won its fourth regional crown in school history, including second straight. Elliott (seventh), Immer (10th), Twarling (20th), Zalewski (21st) and Higgins (25th) return after earning all-region accolades.
The men captured its third straight regional title and eighth in school history. Vater (14th) and Clark (18th) were all-region honorees.
At the 2025 NCAA III Championships, UWL women's squad placed 12th overall. Twarling, Elliott, Zalewski, Immer and Schwartz all return in 2026 after running at last year's national meet.
The men's team won its second straight NCAA III title in 2025 and fifth in school history. Vater and Castellanos return after competing a year ago.
UWL's women squad placed sixth at the 2016 NCAA III Championships under Stanley, the team's best finish since a fourth-place showing in 2005. He has led the men's team to two national titles and seven other top-four finishes. Stanley was named the 2024 and 2025 U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) NCAA Division III Coach of the Year. Twenty-four NCAA III All-America honors have been under Stanley's tutelage as the men's head coach.
