Wheeling, W. Va. - Each year, the Wheeling University Cross Country team wraps up their preseason schedule with the annual Bob Creamer Memorial Run. This year, the program is inviting alumni of both the Cross Country and Track & Field program back to campus to compete in this year's event. The 2026 Bob Creamer Memorial Run will be held on Sunday, August 30, and will feature a 4X100 Mile relay, where alumni can team up to run against the current Cardinal runners around campus.
"We are really excited to have the Bob Creamer alumni meet to start the year," said Wheeling University Head Cross Country and Track & Field coach Ben Healy. "As we continue to grow, I know it's important to stay connected to our roots. Being able to bring alumni back to campus to see the growth we are having and to support the current team will be great."
Unlike previous seasons, this year's race will see teams of four combining to run a four-mile race across the Wheeling University campus. Each member of the relay team will run a mile of the course, winding through the hills of campus, with the race both beginning and ending at Bishop Schmitt Field. The current Cardinal runners will combine to make two teams, with the other teams consisting of alumni. Former Cardinals who would like to participate in the event can either assemble a team of four on their own, or sign up individually, and they will be assigned to a team upon arrival. Mixed-gender teams are preferred for the event, but they are not required, and Cardinal alumni can sign-up by clicking HERE.
Registration for the event will begin at 9:30 AM where teams will check in and prepare for the race, beginning at 10 AM. The starting line will be on the track at Bishop Schmitt Field, and teams will also finish the race at the same start line. Following the race, the team will be hosting a cookout, complete with games, food, and socializing where alumni can meet and interact with the current Cardinal Cross Country and Track & Field runners. There will be an award ceremony, with top teams receiving team gear as a show of the team's appreciation for their support. Cardinal alumni can stock up on gear of their own with the team gear shop and donations will be accepted to help both support the program, and phase two of the Bishop Schmitt Field stadium improvement project, which will see the renovation of the track and surfacing of the field events.
The Bob Creamer Memorial run is ran in honor of Wheeling Track & Field alumnus Bob Creamer, who tragically lost his life in 2006 during an accident at the Georgetown Water Treatment plant. Creamer was a 2004 graduate of Wheeling University, competing with the Cross Country and Track & Field programs. He was a two-time qualifier for the NCAA DII Men's Cross Country National Championships in 2001 & 2002 and was a four-time All-WVIAC honoree. He embodied the mission of Wheeling University during his time with the Cardinals and his legacy lives on through the Bob Creamer Memorial run.
Join us for the Bob Creamer Memorial Run on Sunday, August 30, with registration beginning at 9:30 AM at Bishop Schmitt Field. Alumni can sign-up and register their teams by clicking HERE.
