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+, beginning with the women’s 6k at 8:30 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
Women’s 6K | 8:30 a.m. CT |
ESPN+ |
Course Map
Awards Ceremony to follow men’s race
2026 SLC Preseason Poll
- SFA (117)
- Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (115)
- UTRGV (98)
- UIW (90)
- McNeese (75)
- Lamar (69)
- New Orleans (60)
- Houston Christian (56)
- Nicholls (43)
- East Texas A&M (37)
- Southeastern (17)
- Northwestern State (15)
SLC Performers of the Week
September 9 - Caroline Yegon, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
September 16 - Ariadne Navarro - Houston Christian
September 23 - Uxue Castro-Martin, McNeese
September 30 - Elizabeth Khatevi, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
October 7 - Anete Randma, East Texas A&M
October 21 - Elizabeth Khatevi, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
2026 SLC Top Performances
- Elizabeth Khatevi, junior, TAMUCC | 19:03.6 | September 25 | Gans Creek Classic (hosted by Missouri)
- Valentine Jemutai, junior, SFA | 19:46.0 | October 16 | Arturo Barrios Invitational (hosted by Texas A&M)
- Mercy Kipchumba, junior, SFA | 19:50.2 | October 16 | Arturo Barrios Invitational (hosted by Texas A&M)
- Evaline Chepkoech, junior | SFA | 20:16.6 | October 16 | Arturo Barrios Invitational (hosted by Texas A&M)
- Uxoe Castro-Martin, junior | McNeese | 20:12.7 | October 16 | Arturo Barrios Invitational (hosted by Texas A&M)
- Ashton Rainey, senior | senior | Lamar | 20:18.2 | October 16 | Arturo Barrios Invitational (hosted by Texas A&M)
- Phylis Kibet, sophomore | TAMUCC | 20:34.1 | September 25 | Gans Creek Classic (hosted by Missouri)
- Ariadna Navarro, freshman | HCU | 20:40.2 | October 16 | Arturo Barrios Invitational (hosted by Texas A&M)
- Caroline Yegon, freshman | TAMUCC | 20:47.5 | October 16 | Arturo Barrios Invitational (hosted by Texas A&M)
- Abbigail Hutchinson, junior | SFA | 20:49.7 | October 16 | Arturo Barrios Invitational (hosted by Texas A&M)
USTFCCCA South Central Regional Rankings
Preseason: August 31 | SFA - 6th, TAMUCC - 9th, UIW - 13th, UTRGV - 15th
Week 1: September 21 | TAMUCC - 6th, SFA - 8th UIW - 13th
Week 2: September 28 | SFA - 6th, TAMUCC - 7th, UIW - 13th, McNeese - 14th
Week 3: October 5 | SFA - 6th, TAMUCC - 7th, UIW - 15th
Week 4: October 12 | SFA - 6th, TAMUCC - 7th, UIW - 15th
Week 5: October 19 | SFA - 4th, TAMUCC - 9th, UTRGV - 15th
Defending champion SFA led the way in the SLC Preseason Poll, garnering seven of 12 first-place votes. The Ladyjacks have since recorded a top-seven finish in all four meets this season, including a team win to open the season at the same location as this Friday’s meet. The 1-2 punch of juniors Mercy Kipchumba and Valentine Jemutai has been one of the most lethal in the region this fall, as the duo has combined for four top-five finishes so far. Jemutai, who took second at the Southland meet a season ago, set a new PR on October 16 with a mark of 19:46.0 at Texas A&M’s Arturo Barrios Invitational. Kipchumba began her season with a personal best in Lake Charles and most recently finished 20th out of more than 400 individuals in College Station. SFA is the conference’s all-time leader in team titles (9) and is tied for first in individual champions (7).
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi picked up the remaining five first-place votes in the Preseason Poll and trailed SFA by just two total points at 115. After successfully defending her individual title at the Southland meet last season and placing 46th at the NCAA National Championships, seven-time LSC Women’s Athlete of the Week Elizabeth Khatevi has turned in yet another remarkable season, coming in second and sixth respectively in her last two meets. 2025 SLC Freshman of the Year Phylis Kibet, an All-Region honoree last fall, wrapped up her regular season on October 16, taking 56th in a loaded meet behind a time of 20:37.6.
2025 SLC Newcomer of the Year N Vanee Anchike, who finished ninth at last season’s conference meet, broke the UTRGV program record just two weeks ago, setting the new bar at 20:51.0, more than 24 seconds off her previous career best. Three UIW runners – Sofia Cantor, Emily Torres and Oceane Cercueil – finished the regular season inside the top ten at McNeese’s Cowboy Stampede on September 26, helping lift the Cardinals to their third straight second-place finish.
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 (Lamar in 2024, SFA in 2025). SFA ranks fourth in the
most recent edition of the USTFCCCA Regional Rankings, while Texas A&M-Corpus Christi sits in ninth and UTRGV rounds out the top 15.
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.