Denison University

2026 Season Preview: Men’s Cross Country

8/30/2026 2:35:00 PM

The Big Red look to rise to the top of the conference under Head Coach Dara Ford in her first season at Denison.

2025 Recap

The squad found success throughout the season, placing in the top five in three meets, including two third-place finishes. At the NCAC Championship, the team finished sixth out of the nine institutions, with two runners placing in the top 25, including first-year Will Jackson, who earned second team All-NCAC honors with a time of 26:02.0 for a 14th-place finish. Following into the Great Lakes Region Championship, the Big Red finished 18th, building momentum into the 2026 season and making strides. Of the upperclassmen, four earned personal records over the course of the season, improving their times through each race.

Team Roundup

The team brings in 10 first-years into the mix, just one more from last season's group. The group will be poised to follow the success and growth of this year's sophomore class, who have set the standard along with the other upperclassmen. The first-year class is the largest for the upcoming season, followed by the sophomores with seven, and the juniors and seniors tied with four apiece. The senior class brings experience throughout their career, poised to lead a group of underclassmen to a successful 2026 campaign.

Key Returners

Rising sophomore Will Jackson headlines the group entering the 2026 season as he burst onto the scene in just his first-year on the course. Jackson was All-NCAC and finished in the top five in every regular-season race, and was the first overall Big Red to cross the finish line in every race as well. Rising junior Phinnigan Spindler was among the core seven for the Big Red, along with rising sophomore Sebastian Klimchak, to return key pieces for the 2026 season. William Fontanta was also amongst the top seven finishers for the Big Red over the course of the season, bringing back much-needed experience.

A Look at the Schedule

Sept 4th: Otterbein Invitational hosted by Otterbein University (6:45 pm)
Sept 18th: All-Ohio Inter-Collegiate Classic hosted by Cedarville University (6:40 pm)
Oct 2nd: Paul Short Run hosted by Lehigh University (3:30 pm)
Oct 17th: Oberlin Inter-Regional Rumble hosted by Oberlin College (11:15 am/12:45 pm)
Oct 23rd: Wild Bill Invite hosted by Wright State University (5:15 pm)
Oct 31st: NCAC Championship hosted by Oberlin College (12:15 pm)
Nov 14th: NCAA Great Lakes Regional Championship hosted by Olivet College (TBA)

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