Over the next three months, cross country fans of all ages will watch the 2026 campaign unfold. Between now and November 21, the day of the NCAA Cross Country National Championships, we'll see it all.
Whether you like it or not, one of those things is a pair of new individual champions, with both Doris Lemngole (Alabama) and Habtom Samuel (New Mexico) having turned pro.
With so much up in the air in early September, gauging what to expect this season is no easy task, but the first edition of FloTrack's 2026 College XC Rankings gives us more than enough to start forming a picture.
Mercyline Kirwa & Defending Champs NC State Lead The Way
With five-time national champ Doris Lemngole off and running in the professional circuit, the throne at the top of the NCAA women's landscape is vacant, and I'd say it's a unanimous pick for who is going to take her spot.
The top returner from last year's national championship, Jane Hedengren (BYU), is coming off a freshman campaign that culminated in national titles, collegiate records, and simply one of the best first-year performances we've ever seen. However, a rough trip to Eugene in June puts the Cougar superstar at No. 2 to begin the year.
At the top of the first batch of rankings is none other than Iowa State's Mercyline Kirwa, who is less than three months removed from a 10,000m national title and a 5,000m runner-up finish at Hayward Field.
Unfortunately, we won't see Kirwa and Hedengren square off until the Big 12 Championships on October 31, but with a few meets in their rearview mirror by then, we'll be in for a treat.
Coming in at No. 3 is New Mexico's frontrunner, Pamela Kosgei, who earned All-American honors five times last year, with three of those coming in the form of top-three finishes. She's also a two-time national champion after sweeping the 10,000m and 5,000m at the 2025 NCAA Outdoor Championships.
Rounding out the top five are New Mexico's Marion Jepngetich and NC State's Hannah Gapes, with the latter finishing fifth at NCAAs a year ago. While Jepngetich just missed out on becoming an All-American at Gans Creek last year, she more than made up for it with a third-place finish in the 3,000m indoors and a national title in the 5,000m in June.
Gapes' teammate Grace Hartman comes in at No. 6, followed by Joy Naukot (West Virginia), Carmen Cernjul (Northern Arizona), Judy Chepkoech (Florida), and Betty Kipkore (Iowa State).
Hartman was sixth a year ago, while Naukot was 12th, followed by Kipkore and Chepkoech in 15th and 16th. Cernjul is the lone freshman in the top 10, but the 19-year-old has a 5,000m PB of 15:06 from May that will translate incredibly well to the grass.
Mary Bonner Dalton (Notre Dame), Caren Kiplagat (Alabama), Paityn Noe (Arkansas), Isca Chelangat (Arkansas), and Cynthia Jemutai (Alabama) round out the top 15.
Unsurprisingly, the NC State women sit atop the team rankings heading into the season, as the defending champs and winners of four of the last five titles return everyone and only got stronger with the addition of Rachel Forsyth, who was 48th in 2025.
Hedengren and the BYU Cougars come in at No. 2 after losing a few key pieces, but some transfers, a strong freshman class, and Diljeet Taylor at the helm make this team scary regardless of who they lost to graduation.
Iowa State is No. 3 after a summer coaching change, with Laura Harmon taking over the Cyclone women. They also added 2026 1,500m national champion Rosemary Longisa, a multiple-time All-American.
The Lumberjacks of NAU and the Lobos of New Mexico round out the top five, followed by West Virginia, Arkansas, Stanford, Clemson, and Oregon.
Elsingi Kipruto, Iowa State Men Open Up Season At No. 1
Just like the women are searching for the next star to replace their defending champ, the men are doing the same.
Following a tremendous freshman campaign that resulted in four All-American finishes and three top-four finishes, Louisville's Elsingi Kipruto sits at No. 1 and is on something of a hot streak heading into the season.
Even though he's on a roll, there are few things stronger than the will of Rocky Hansen, Wake Forest's star who has finished runner-up in the last two national championship races he's competed in.
Hansen gave Samuel a run for his money in last year's second-place showing and was less than a second from besting him on the track in June. With how close he's been, Hansen is the most lethal runner in the country.
Two of Oklahoma State's three All-Americans who finished in the top 10 are back for more, with fourth-place finisher Brian Musau and sixth-place finisher Denis Kipngetich coming in at No. 3 and No. 4.
Both men earned All-American honors on the outdoor oval this past spring and will chase their fourth consecutive All-American finish in their title defense.
Former teammates Ernest Cheruiyot (Arkansas) and Solomon Kipchoge (Washington State) sit at No. 6 and No. 7, as the former Texas Tech Red Raiders are chasing yet another All-American finish. Cheruiyot transferred to Arkansas last fall and found his footing nearly immediately, finishing fourth and third in the 3,000m and 5,000m at the NCAA Indoor Championships before placing fifth and third in the 5,000m and 10,000m outdoors. Kipchoge, on the other hand, started off his year in Pullman, taking third behind Samuel and Hansen.
Both men have the talent and the know-how, so expect both to be toward the front when the gun goes off.
Filling out the rest of the top 10 are Collins Kiprotich (New Mexico), Dismus Lokira (Alabama), Kelvin Cheruiyot (Florida), and newcomer Dennis Kipkogei (Texas).
Kiprotich was elevated to the No. 1 spot for the Lobos following Samuel's professional transition; his eighth-place finish from last fall puts him in a great position this time around.
Lokira, who finished 11th a year ago, notched a fifth-place finish in the 25-lap bout in June, while Cheruiyot was 14th and seventh in those same two races, respectively.
One of the most talked-about athletes of the summer was the newest Longhorn, Dennis Kipkogei, the 59:11 half-marathoner who will be making his debut in burnt orange in a few weeks' time. One of the 100 fastest people in half-marathon history is a welcome addition in Austin and has the chance to take Texas to a new level.
Filling out the top 15 in the first set of rankings are George Couttie (Virginia Tech), Tayvon Kitchen (BYU), Adisu Guadia (Oklahoma State), Evans Kurui (Washington State), and Nickson Kogei (Louisville). All five men were All-Americans a year ago, with four of them finishing inside the top 20.
Despite Oklahoma State winning it all last year and squeezing four men inside the top 12 and all five into All-American positions, their in-conference foe Iowa State takes the top spot for now.
Finishing third a year ago, the Cyclones return their entire top four, made up of Robin Kwemoi Bera, Meshack Kimutai, Rodgers Kiplimo, and Joash Ruto, who finished 15th, 22nd, 23rd, and 36th at last year's championships. The Cyclones also added former Colorado Buffalo Justine Kipkoech, who was 79th a year ago and holds PBs of 13:24.8 for 5,000m and 29:30 for 10K (XC).
The Cowboys sit right behind them at No. 2, but Dave Smith's squad is not going to simply let their title be ripped away from them, especially by a conference rival. Unfortunately for both Iowa State and Oklahoma State, another Big 12 powerhouse, BYU, looks to be bringing in a strong squad this fall.
Obviously, Kitchen is more than likely going to tally fewer than 20 points for the Cougars this time, but James Corrigan, Noah Jenkins, Carter Cutting, and Isaac Hedengren are looking to take the next step and tighten up behind Kitchen as much as they can. Ed Eyestone is also awaiting the debut of Danny Simmons, who ran a 13:25 5K in high school and returned from his two-year mission.
Wake Forest and Alabama sit at No. 4 and No. 5, as the Demon Deacons look to improve on their 12th-place finish from a year ago and the Crimson Tide hope to jump into the top five after finishing 14 points outside of it last time around.
Arkansas, New Mexico, Colorado, Northern Arizona, and Oregon come in at spots 6 through 10.