Men's Cross Country | 11/14/2026 2:30:57 PM
Ten Empire 8 teams competed at the Niagara Regional, and Russell Sage College competed at the Mideast Regional, as part of the 2026 NCAA Cross Country Regional Championships on Saturday, Nov. 14. The Niagara Regional was held at Fredonia State Cross Country Course in Fredonia, NY, hosted by SUNY Fredonia, while the Mideast Regional was hosted by Trinity College.
A total of 10 teams (one per regional) will automatically qualify for the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships on Nov. 21. There will be 22 at-large teams selected by a committee that will be announced on Nov. 15. In addition, a total of 70 individuals will automatically qualify for the national championship. The top-seven runners not from a qualifying team will be determined the top-seven qualifiers per region. Those qualifiers will also be confirmed and announced on Nov. 15.
WOMEN'S RECAP
Empire 8 Champion SUNY Geneseo, ranked 13th nationally won the Niagara Regional team title with 39 points, while SUNY Brockport was seventh with 193 points. The Knights defeated top-ranked NYU by 19 points to earn the Niagara Region Championship.
A total of 13 E8 women earned All-Region honors, placing in the top-35 overall. Geneseo had four of the top nine finishers and seven All-Region selections. Geneseo sophomore Greylynn Guyer finished fifth overall in a time of 21:38.6 over the 6,000-meter course, just under four seconds ahead of teammate Ari Reback, the 2026 Empire 8 Champion, who was sixth today. Shelby Boise placed seventh, while Annabelle Czekanski was ninth. Alexa Kosier was 13th to round out the scorers for the champion Knights.
Kaitlyn Hotaling of SUNY Geneseo finished 20th overall in a time of 22:30.9. SUNY Brockport duo sophomore Salma Moumen led three Golden Eagles in the top-35, placing 22nd. Emberlynn Nolt of Houghton University finished 25th, while Kelsey Fahy of Nazareth University was right behind in 27th overall. Marlo Townsend of Utica University placed 28th, while Ella Grinnell of Geneseo rounded out the All-Region selections was 29th. The Brockport duo of Ethne Degan and Madison Kirkpatrick were 31st and 35th to round out the E8 All-Region selections.
The Empire 8 results and regional split can be seen below:
Niagara Region Participants:
SUNY Geneseo – 1st – 39 points
SUNY Brockport – 7th – 193 points
Nazareth – 10th – 253 points
Houghton – 12th – 304 points
Utica – 13th – 364 points
St. John Fisher – 14th – 380 points
Alfred – No Team Score
SUNY Poly – No Team Score
Mideast Regional Participant:
Russell Sage – 28th – 885 points
MEN'S RECAP
Empire 8 Champion SUNY Geneseo, ranked fourth nationally, earned an automatic berth into the NCAA Championship by winning the Niagara Regional with 27 points, while Utica University placed sixth overall with 237 points, Houghton University finished seventh overall with 244 points, SUNY Brockport was eighth and Nazareth University placed ninth.
SUNY Geneseo had the two top finishers and four of the top seven spots on the men’s side. Emerson Comer, last year’s runner-up, was the individual race winner, finishing three seconds ahead of runner-up, teammate James Tette, completing the 8,000-meter course in 24:33.8.
Two-time Empire 8 Champion Bennett Melita punched his ticket to the NCAA Championships for the second straight season after an impressive fifth place finish, crossing the finish line in 24:58.6.
A total of 10 E8 men earned All-Region honors, placing in the top-35 overall. SUNY Geneseo standouts Colin Brown (sixth), Thomas Blake (seventh), Owen Murphy (11th), Mike Taranto (12th) and Jake Gaudette (14th) joined Comer and Tette as all-region picks for Geneseo. Utica sophomore Killian Bauer placed 18th overall, while Houghton University sophomore Henry Sardina placed 33rd.
Melita and possibly Bauer will join the Geneseo team at nationals, when the NCAA Championship selections are announced on Nov. 15.
Niagara Region Participants:
SUNY Geneseo – 1st – 27 points
Utica – 9th – 293 points
SUNY Brockport – 11th – 314 points
Houghton – 12th – 316 points
Nazareth – 15th – 428 points
St. John Fisher – 20th – 562 points
Alfred – 21st – 586 points
Hartwick – 23rd – 704 points
SUNY Poly – 24th – 737 points
Mideast Regional Participant:
Russell Sage – 23rd – 711 points