Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
Sun Belt Conference Championships
10/28/2026 10:45:00 AM | Cross Country
Championship Fund | Relay Club
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Championship Season for Marshall Cross Country has arrived.
The Herd departed early Wednesday morning for Foley, Alabama and Friday's 2026 Sun Belt Conference Cross Country Championships. After a day of preparation Thursday, the championship races will take place Friday morning at the Graham Creek Nature Preserve in Foley, starting with the Men's 8K race at 9:30 a.m. ET/8:30 local time. The Women's 5K will follow at 10:15 a.m. ET/9:15 local.
- For Championship Central, view HERE.
- For live results of Friday's championship meet, view HERE.
- To watch Friday's championship meet, view HERE.
Marshall Director of XC/TF Keith Roberts and Cross Country Head Coach Caleb Bowen travel a pair of consistent squads coming off a team sweep at the Eagle Invite in Morehead, Kentucky two weeks ago.
"Our student-athletes train year-round, putting in hundreds of miles and countless hours of hard work to prepare for moments like this," said Director Roberts. "There are many reasons they endure the grueling workouts and long run in every element but it all comes down to one day: the Conference Championship. This team has been more focused, more determined, and more locked in than ever before. They've put in the work, embraced the process, and built something special together."
"This is the meet we train for all year, the conference championship! We are looking forward to seeing the athletes compete hard for the Herd this Friday," Coach Bowen said. "I believe we have a great squad on both sides that can compete with some of the best teams in the conference. We need to be aggressive, we need to pack up, and we need to attack the last 2k of the race. If we do those things we'll be right where we need to be."
The MU men's team has seen a mix of experience and youth all season long. Junior Justin Lipscomb has paced the men's team in three of the four meets so far, with senior Brady Dawkins leading the way at the aforementioned Eagle Invite. Both Dawkins and Lipscomb earned All-SBC honors last year and have competed in multiple Championship races, as has junior Garrett Ferguson. Freshmen Dylan Dial, Amos Kimble, and Landon Jones have each scored for the Herd this year, as have sophomores Ryan Hughes and Conner Myers. Marshall finished 6th at last season's championships.
The Herd women have been led by Rachael Withrow. Marshall's senior transfer has won all four races the team has competed in this season. Withrow has been named the SBC Female Runner of the Week following each of those four meets, a single-season program record. Other members of the MU women's team have had breakout seasons as well, with junior Destiny Berryman placing numerous Top-10 finishes at meets this year. Returners Ellie Hosaflook and Taylor Spencer will compete in their third SBC Championships, while Brayleigh Becken, Isabel Griffin, Ella Hardin, and Lauren Sonski all could be making their postseason debuts. The team finished 8th last season at the championships after consecutive Top-3 finishes the previous two years.
As a team, the men's program last won a conference title in 1986. The women would be seeking the program's first-ever team title. The most recent individual champion for the Herd came in 2024, when Kylee Mastin became the first female individual conference champion.
To donate to the Championship Fund for Marshall XC/TF, please click HERE. All proceeds go directly to Marshall's Cross Country and Track & Field teams. To support Marshall XC/TF's Relay Club, please click HERE.
Follow the team on Twitter and Instagram @HerdTFXC for coverage all season long of Marshall cross country.
To follow all Thundering Herd sports and get live stats, schedules, and free live audio, download the Marshall Athletics App for iOS or Android!
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