Men’s Cross Country Voted GAC Preseason Favorite
RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – On Monday, the Great American Conference unveiled its 2026 men's cross country preseason coaches' poll, with East Central University earning five of eight first-place votes and 46 total points to enter the season as the conference favorite.
Harding received one first-place vote and 42 total points to take second, while Oklahoma Baptist earned 41 points and two first-place votes to round out the top three.
The preseason recognition comes on the heels of another dominant season for the Tigers. ECU captured its 11th GAC Championship in the last 15 seasons and its fourth consecutive conference title. The Tigers also placed third at the Central Regional Championships and made their third straight appearance at the NCAA Division II National Championships in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Leading the charge for the 2026 campaign are First-Team All-GAC selections
Donald Kipsang and
Kennedy Bett, who finished first and second, respectively, at the 2025 GAC Cross Country Championships. Kipsang's 8K time of 23:56.03 ranks as the second-fastest mark in GAC Championship history.
ECU will also welcome back All-GAC Second-Team honoree
Bhekizulu Khumalo, rounding out an experienced group of returners. In total, the Tigers return five athletes and add nine newcomers to the 2026 roster.
The ECU cross country team will open its season Friday, Sept. 4, at the Aggie Duels, hosted by Cameron University.
