IRVING, Texas – Tulane finished atop both the men’s and women’s coaches polls in the 2026 American Conference preseason cross country rankings. All 12 men’s programs and all 13 women’s programs cast votes for peer institutions ahead of the start of the NCAA cross country season.
The Green Wave, the 2025 American men’s cross country runner-up, narrowly edged out defending champion Tulsa with 115 voting points and five first-place votes. Tulsa settled into second in the preseason men’s rankings with five first-place votes and 113 voting points. Wichita State received the final two first-place votes and 105 points in the men’s coaches poll, followed by Charlotte (88 points), Rice (80 points), UNT (65 points), Temple (54 points), Memphis (51 points), UTSA (42 points), South Florida (40 points), East Carolina (25 points) and Florida Atlantic (14 points).
Returning as the conference’s defending women’s cross country champion, Tulane received the maximum 12 first-place votes and 144 points in women’s coaches voting. Tulsa checked in second with 127 points, while Rice (113 points), Charlotte (106 points) and Wichita State (105 points) rounded out the top five. Additional results from the women’s rankings included Florida Atlantic (84 points), UAB (83 points), UNT (71 points), East Carolina (53 points), Memphis (47 points), South Florida (40 points), Temple (25 points) and UTSA (16 points).
The 2026 NCAA cross country schedule is scheduled to begin on Sept. 4. The 2026 American Conference Cross Country Championships are slated for Oct. 31 in New Orleans, with NCAA regional meets to follow on Nov. 13 and the national championship meet set for Nov. 21 in Terre Haute, Indiana.
2026 American Conference Men’s Cross Country Preseason Coaches Poll
| 1 |
Tulane (5) |
115 |
| 2 |
Tulsa (5) |
113 |
| 3 |
Wichita State (2) |
105 |
| 4 |
Charlotte |
88 |
| 5 |
Rice |
80 |
| 6 |
UNT |
65 |
| 7 |
Temple |
54 |
| 8 |
Memphis |
51 |
| 9 |
UTSA |
42 |
| 10 |
South Florida |
40 |
| 11 |
East Carolina |
25 |
| 12 |
Florida Atlantic |
14 |
Note: First-place votes denoted in parenthesis
2026 American Conference Women’s Cross Country Preseason Coaches Poll
| 1 |
Tulane (12) |
144 |
| 2 |
Tulsa (1) |
127 |
| 3 |
Rice |
113 |
| 4 |
Charlotte |
106 |
| 5 |
Wichita State |
105 |
| 6 |
Florida Atlantic |
84 |
| 7 |
UAB |
83 |
| 8 |
UNT |
71 |
| 9 |
East Carolina |
53 |
| 10 |
Memphis |
47 |
| 11 |
South Florida |
40 |
| 12 |
Temple |
25 |
| 13 |
UTSA |
16 |
Note: First-place votes denoted in parenthesis