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RICHMOND, Ky. – Eastern Kentucky University will host the 2026 United Athletic Conference (UAC) Men's and Women's Cross Country Championships on Friday morning at the University Club at Arlington.
 
The women's 5K race will begin at 9 a.m. ET, followed by the men's 8K race at 9:45 a.m.
 
Both races will air live on ESPN+.
 
This is the EKU cross country program's first season competing in the UAC.
 
EKU has won a combined 66 conference cross country championships in its history – 34 on the women's side, 32 on the men's side.
 
The EKU men won four straight ASUN Championships from 2022 to 2025.
 
The EKU women's last conference title came at the 2020 Ohio Valley Conference Championships, the Colonels' final season in the OVC (the meet was held in March of 2021 due to COVID).
 
The last time EKU hosted a conference cross country championship was 2011, also at Arlington.
 
EKU will face off against Austin Peay, Tarleton State, West Georgia, North Alabama, Abilene Christian, Central Arkansas, UT Arlington and Little Rock at Friday's championships.


Spectator Information

Admission is FREE.

Spectator parking is in the main lot at Arlington House (1510 Lexington Rd, Richmond, KY 40475)

Overflow parking will be at First Christian Church (412 W Main St, Richmond, KY 40475). Shuttles between First Christian Church and Arlington will begin running at 8 a.m. ET.

Two food trucks will be on-site.

 
Preview
 
The EKU men enter the conference championships ranked No. 17 in the USTFCCCA national poll, just ahead of the likes of No. 18 Tennessee, No. 19 Northern Arizona, No. 20 Iowa State, No. 21 Minnesota, and No. 22 Michigan State.
 
Their last time out, the Colonels finished 11^th out of 35 teams at the loaded Wisconsin Nuttycombe Invitational.
 
Senior All-American Taha Er Raouy paced the Colonels in Wisconsin, placing 10^th out of 232 runners and covering the rugged 8K course in a personal-best time of 22:47.0.
 
Newcomer Brett Rushman was second on the team and 52^nd overall in a time of 23:30.7.
 
Freshman Abel Kirui (87^th / 23:50.3), junior Bradley Giblin (23:54.9), and sophomore Enoch Bokaba (127^th / 24:05.2) rounded out the Colonels' scoring five on the day.
 
Sophomore Brian Kimutai, a 2025 cross country All-American, made his season debut at Texas A&M's Arturo Barrios Invitational on October 16, finishing eighth out of 369 runners with an 8K time of 23:11.1.
 
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The EKU women have also been impressive this season. Freshman Brighter Jepchumba won the John McNichols Invitational on September 19 and was named the USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Week for her performance.
 
The Colonels then finished second out of 48 teams at the Arturo Barrios Invitational in October. Sophomore All-American Edna Chelulei won that race, defeating a field of 403 runners with a 6K time of 18:42.2.
 
Two other Colonels finished in the top 10 in College Station. Jepchumba placed third overall in a time of 18:47.6, while sophomore Morgan Kobylinski was seventh in a time of 19:31.4.
 
Sophomore Metrine Serem (50^th / 20:29.1) and junior Ines Mrabet (65^th / 20:44.8) rounded out the Colonels' scoring five on the day.
 
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Following the conference championships, the EKU cross country teams will return to action at the NCAA Southeast Regional on Friday, November 13 in Spartanburg, South Carolina.