FRISCO, Texas – The 2026 Southland Conference Cross Country Championships are set to take place on Friday morning at Enos Derbonne Sports Complex in Lake Charles, La., hosted by McNeese State University. Fans can watch both races on ESPN+, with the men’s 8K starting at 9:30 a.m. C.T.
Southland Conference Cross Country Championship Central
2026 Southland Conference Cross Country Championships
Hosted by McNeese State University in Lake Charles, La.
Friday, October 30 |
Live Results
Men’s 8K | 9:30 a.m. CT |
ESPN+ |
Course Map
Awards Ceremony to follow men’s race
2026 SLC Preseason Poll
- SFA (121)
- Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (109)
- UIW (102)
- Lamar (83)
- UTRGV (78)
- McNeese (78)
- Houston Christian (57)
- East Texas A&M (54)
- New Orleans (47)
- Nicholls (29)
- Northwestern State (18)
- Southeastern (16)
SLC Performers of the Week
September 9 – Lathan Lewter, SFA
September 16 – Saad Rifi Loufti, SFA
September 23 – Greg Martin, McNeese
September 30 – Saad Rifi Loufti, SFA
October 7 – Samuel Pepe, East Texas A&M
October 21 – Mathayo Bundotich, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
2026 SLC Top Performances
- Mathayo Bundotich, senior | TAMUCC | 23:46.8 | October 16 | Arturo Barrios Invitational (hosted by Texas A&M)
- Christian Castro-Cruz, sophomore | UIW | 23:47.8 | October 16 | Arturo Barrios Invitational (hosted by Texas A&M)
- Diego Canto, junior | TAMUCC | 23:48.6 | October 16 | Arturo Barrios Invitational (hosted by Texas A&M)
- Paul Kiprotich, junior | SFA | 23:57.9 | October 16 | Under Armour Pre-National Invitational (hosted by Indiana State)
- Saad Rifi Loutfi, junior | SFA | 23:59.6 | September 11 | Texas A&M Invitational (hosted by Texas A&M)
- Gregory Martin, sophomore | McNeese | 24:02.7 | October 16 | Arturo Barrios Invitational (hosted by Texas A&M)
- Brendan DiStefano, senior | TAMUCC | 24:03.6 | October 16 | Arturo Barrios Invitational (hosted by Texas A&M)
- Ethan Malesich, senior | UIW | 24:09.4 | October 16 | Arturo Barrios Invitational (hosted by Texas A&M)
- Jeremiah Garcia, junior | UIW | 24:11.3 | October 16 | Arturo Barrios Invitational (hosted by Texas A&M)
- Ryan McCarthy, junior | McNeese | 24:12.0 | October 16 | Arturo Barrios Invitational (hosted by Texas A&M)
USTFCCCA South Central Regional Rankings
Preseason: August 31 | SFA - 6th, TAMUCC - 6th, UIW - 9th, Lamar - 11th, McNeese - 15th
Week 1: September 21 | SFA - 3rd, UIW - 8th, TAMUCC - 9th, Lamar - 12th, McNeese - 13th
Week 2: September 28 | SFA - 2nd, McNeese - 8th, TAMUCC - 9th, UIW - 10th, Lamar - 12th
Week 3: October 5 | SFA - 2nd, McNeese - 8th, TAMUCC - 9th, UIW - 10th, Lamar - 13th
Week 4: October 12 | SFA - 2nd, McNeese - 8th, TAMUCC - 9th, UIW - 10th, Lamar - 13th
Week 5: October 19 | SFA - 3rd, UIW - 6th, TAMUCC - 8th, McNeese - 9th
SFA took home the 2025 SLC team crown and picked up the 2026 campaign right where they left off, winning both of their first two meets. The Jacks claim one of the deepest rosters in the region, as 2025 NCAA Nationals qualifier Paul Kiprotich, Lathan Lewter, and Eliud Kipkosgei have each turned in a pair of top-ten finishes this fall, and Saad Rifi Loufti has been named the SLC Performer of the Week twice. Stephen F. Austin also has the 2025 SLC Freshman of the Year in Sam Golla, who has already set a new PR this season. Most recently, SFA finished 15th out of 44 teams at the Under Armour Pre-National Invitational, which took place at the same site where the NCAA National Championships will be held next month. The Jacks will look for their third straight individual winner in as many seasons after Elkana Kipruto and Nathan Kapel took home the last two crowns.
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi claims the reigning SLC Performer of the Week in senior Mathayo Bundotich, who looks to become just the second runner in conference history to win non-consecutive individual SLC titles. Bundotich wrapped up his 2026 campaign by finishing 32nd in a field with 380 competitors at Texas A&M’s Arturo Barrios Invitational on October 16, while Diego Canto, who finished as the Islanders’ top individual in each of their first two competitions, turned in a new personal best in the same meet, finishing just three places behind Bundotich.
UIW has finished in the top eight in all four meets so far this season, including three top-fives to begin the year. Sophomore Christian Castro-Cruz has been the Cardinals’ most consistent runner, producing finishes of fourth, eighth and first before landing in 34th at the Arturo Barrios Invitational. He has set a new PR three different times this season, and he is coming off his lifetime-best mark of 23:47.8 in the 8K.
Eight of the top individual times of the season from SLC competitors came at the Arturo Barrios Invitational, highlighted by Bundotich’s 23:46.8. The 2026 meet will mark the third consecutive year for the SLC Championships to be hosted in the state of Louisiana, and both of the previous years were won by a program from Texas (UIW in 2024, SFA in 2025). SFA ranks third in the
most recent edition of the USTFCCCA Regional Rankings, while UIW is in sixth. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and McNeese are in eighth and ninth respectively, just ahead of the University of Texas. Lamar has claimed 17 SLC team titles and 12 individual champions, putting them at the top of the conference’s all-time leaderboard in both categories.
Following the conference meet, qualifiers will have the opportunity to compete at their respective regional meet. Florida State University will serve as the host for the South Regional, while Texas A&M will host the South Central Regional.
The top two teams from each region will then automatically qualify for the NCAA Championship meet, along with the first four additional individuals. To complete the championship field, the NCAA DI Cross Country Subcommittee then chooses 14 at-large teams based on regional and season performances.
The NCAA Championships this year will take place on November 21 and will be hosted by Indiana State University.