Wheeling, W. Va. - In one week, the Wheeling University Cross Country team returns to campus, looking to build on a young, talented group. As preparations continue for the fall camp, the team took the next step towards hitting the course with the release of their 2026 schedule. This year's slate will challenge the Cardinal runners, with a mix of regional and NCAA Division I competition to prepare them for a run at the postseason stage.
During the 2025 season, both teams took on a youth movement, with over half of the starting five on both squads being in their freshman or sophomore seasons. On the women's side, the Cardinals would secure two top 10 team finishes throughout the year, and continually improved each time they hit the course. Each runner would set at least two PRs throughout the season, leading into the Mountain East Conference (MEC) Cross Country Championships. At that conference championship event, the Cardinals would have their top runner fall just three spots shy of an All-MEC honor, and they look to continue building their success this season. On the men's side, four of the five runners would be in their first or second seasons of collegiate Cross Country, and there were PRs galore on the course. They would end up placing one in the top 40 of the conference championships, and two in the top 70.
As they enter the 2026 season, the Cardinals are looking to build on their experience with a mix of regional races and NCAA Division I competition. After running their final tune-up at the Bob Creamer Memorial 3K inter-squad scrimmage, the team will kick off their season on the hilltop in the traditional "The Battle for Wheeling." The Cardinals will run at the West Liberty Invitational on September 3rd, giving them a look at their MEC competition right off the bat. After a week off, the team ends September with back-to-back NCAA Division I meets, testing their abilities on the course against some of the top runners in the country. It starts with a trip to Robert Morris on September 11th, where they will run in the Colonial Invitational, followed by a run at the Youngstown State Invitational on September 26th.
Their final regular season tune-up will come on October 10th, when the team runs at the Carnegie Mellon Invitational. The event will feature runners across the NCAA DII and DIII levels, as the Cardinals look to build their confidence before hitting postseason competition. Following their final regular season runs, Wheeling will take on the 2026 MEC Cross Country Championships, hosted at nearby Oglebay Park, with the official date for the championship event still to be determined. Both teams finished 10th in the race a season ago, and are looking to raise their standing in the conference. The postseason forges on as the calendar turns to November, with the team running in the NCAA DII Atlantic Regional Championships on November 21st.
The Wheeling University Cross Country team will kick off the 2026 season on Thursday, September 3rd, when they run in the West Liberty Invitational.
