The East Coast Conference will crown its 2026 men’s and women’s cross country champions this Saturday, November 7, at the Matt St. James Cross Country Trail on the campus of Roberts Wesleyan University in Rochester, New York during the 2026 ECC Cross Country Championships.

The women’s 5K will open the day’s competition at 10:00 a.m., with the men’s 8K following at 11:00 a.m. 

Both championship races and the awards ceremony will be available to watch live on FloCollege. In the event of inclement weather, the awards ceremony will not be streamed. For more information and to subscribe, visit eccsports.org/FloCollege.

With Roberts Wesleyan looking to continue its historic run atop the conference and several challengers entering the weekend with championship aspirations of their own, Saturday’s races are shaping up to be an exciting conclusion to the fall season.

Fans can follow along with all the championship action on the ECC's social media channels for live updates, race-day photos, results, and highlights throughout the day.

Women’s Championship Preview
The Roberts Wesleyan women’s squad have established themselves as the team to beat in the ECC having won 11 straight titles and the Redhawks will have the opportunity to add another chapter to their championship legacy on Saturday. After earning the top spot in the ECC Preseason Coaches’ Poll, Roberts Wesleyan will look to secure its 12th straight conference championship on its home course.

Paige Moore headlines the Redhawks' returning lineup after finishing second individually at last year's championship. The 2026 ECC Preseason Runner of the Year posted a time of 19:03 at the 2025 conference meet and has already turned in an impressive performance on the championship course, running 18:18 at last fall's Harry F. Anderson Invitational. Roberts Wesleyan will also benefit from the return of All-ECC First Team selection Evelyn Schmit, along with All-ECC Second Team honorees Emma Lipa and Amelia Mickelson.

Molloy enters the weekend looking to build on a memorable 2025 campaign. The Lions captured second place at last year's championship, marking the program's best team finish since 2010, and earned the No. 2 position in this year's preseason poll. Carli Sheiffele will be among the runners to watch after earning All-ECC First Team honors with a seventh-place individual finish a season ago.

Daemen and D'Youville, which checked in at third and fourth place, respectively, in the preseason rankings will also look to challenge Roberts and Molloy. For the Wildcats, Lia Brasacchio will be an important name to watch as they look to climb the team standings. D'Youville will turn to Lilianna Peters, who returns after earning All-ECC Second Team recognition at last year's championship.

St. Thomas Aquinas, Queens, Staten Island and District of Columbia will also be participating. Madison Chalfin will lead the Spartans after collecting two ECC Runner of the Week honors this season. Queens will look to Carly Koprowski, who earned three ECC Rookie of the Week awards. Staten Island brings back All-ECC Second Team performer Adriana Roa, a two-time ECC Runner of the Week this fall. UDC will be led by Nazjha Norris who has consistently led the Firebirds this season, crossing the finish line as the team's top performer in two races.

With a returning individual runner-up, several All-ECC selections, and a group of programs eager to challenge for the title, the women's race will feature plenty of familiar faces and potential contenders.

Men's Championship Preview
On the men's side, Roberts Wesleyan will have the opportunity to accomplish the same feat as its women's program, entering Saturday's championship as the preseason favorite and 11-time defending champions, as the Redhawks will look to extend their streak to 12 titles on their home course.

Roberts Wesleyan returns a wealth of championship experience, beginning with Trevor Heitkamp, who finished as the individual runner-up last season. The Redhawks also bring back three All-ECC First Team performers in Jakob Zibbel, Joel Amstutz, and Aiden McDonald, who placed third, fifth, and sixth, respectively, at the 2025 championship. Caleb Price, Charlie Matzke, and Vincent Ciraolo add even more depth after earning All-ECC Second Team recognition. One of the most anticipated returns for the Redhawks is Jackson Doran. A familiar name among the conference's top distance runners, Doran finished ninth at the 2021 ECC Championships before improving to third in 2022 and second in 2023. Injuries kept him from competing at the conference championships over the past two seasons, but he is back in the championship picture this fall after being named the 2025 ECC Preseason Runner of the Year.

Daemen will once again be among Roberts Wesleyan's biggest challengers. The Wildcats have finished second at the ECC Championships in each of the last four seasons and enter this year's meet ranked second in the preseason poll. Leading the way is reigning individual champion CJ Johnson, who returns after being named the 2026 ECC Preseason Runner of the Year. Johnson will look to repeat his individual championship performance while helping Daemen make another push for the team title. The Wildcats also welcome back All-ECC First Team selections Ethan Keating and Simon Evans, with Keating enjoying a standout senior campaign.

Molloy and St. Thomas Aquinas occupied the third and fourth spots in the preseason rankings and will look to surpass the Redhawks and Wildcats. The Lions will have Peter Bagattine, a 2024 All-ECC First Team selection, and Anthony Baldasano, who earned All-ECC Second Team honors in 2025, back in their lineup. For the Spartans, Jack Bowman will be a key competitor after an impressive season that has included three ECC Runner of the Week selections and three ECC Rookie of the Week honors.

D'Youville, Queens, and Staten Island round out the competition field. Maxim Stinner returns as an All-ECC Second Team performer for the Saints, while Daniel DeGregori will represent the Knights and Peter Gallata will lead the Dolphins.

With Roberts Wesleyan chasing another team championship, Daemen hoping to finally claim the top spot after four consecutive runner-up finishes, and a talented group of individual competitors ready to contend, the men's 8K is set to deliver an exciting championship race.

The top 14 finishers from each gender will earn All-ECC recognition, with the 1-7 finishers making up the First Team and 8-14 finishers being placed on the Second Team. The ECC Most Outstanding Runner, Most Outstanding Rookie, and Coach of the Year will also be awarded.

Championship Information
Date: Saturday, November 7, 2026
Host: Roberts Wesleyan University
Location: Matt St. James Cross Country Trail | Rochester, N.Y.
Women's 5K: 10:00 a.m.
Men's 8K: 11:00 a.m.
Live Coverage: FloCollege

For complete championship information, schedules, and updates, visit the 2026 ECC Cross Country Championships central page.
Follow the ECC on social media for championship-day coverage, including live updates, photos, results, and highlights. Be sure to join the conversation and follow along as the 2026 ECC Cross Country Champions are crowned!
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Founded as the New York Collegiate Athletic Conference in 1989 and rechristened the East Coast Conference in July 2006, the ECC was formed to enhance intercollegiate athletic competition among member institutions and to assist them in integrating athletics into their academic program in a fiscally sound way. The ECC is committed to the highest standards of scholarship, sportsmanship, teamwork, and citizenship. Its mission is to promote the total person concept in its student-athletes, which stresses the abilities to excel in academic achievement, athletic competition, and positive character traits. East Coast Conference members include: Daemen University (Amherst, N.Y.); University of the District of Columbia (Washington, D.C.); D'Youville University (Buffalo, N.Y.); Mercy University (Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.); Molloy University (Rockville Centre, N.Y.); Queens College (Flushing, N.Y.); Roberts Wesleyan University (Rochester, N.Y.); College of Staten Island (Staten Island, N.Y.); and St. Thomas Aquinas College (Sparkill, N.Y.). The ECC also is home to 13 associate members in the sports of women’s bowling (3), men’s and women’s indoor track & field (3), men's volleyball (2), field hockey (1), and men’s lacrosse (1). 

The ECC sponsors the following championship sports: baseball; men’s and women’s basketball; women's bowling; men’s and women’s cross country; field hockey; men’s and women’s lacrosse; men’s and women’s indoor track and field; men’s and women’s outdoor track and field; men’s and women’s soccer; softball; and men's and women’s volleyball. 
 
The East Coast Conference is a proud member of the NCAA and Division II. Division II is a dynamic and engaging group of colleges, institutions and conferences of varying sizes and educational missions. Division II members encourage and support diversity; value sportsmanship, fairness and equity; and place the highest priority on the overall educational excellence of the student-athlete.