CARMEL, Ind - The Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) has announced the results of its men’s cross country preseason coaches’ poll on Friday morning with 2025 HCAC Champion Rose-Hulman in search of its third straight title as the preseason favorite. The Fightin’ Engineers earned 81 points in the poll and nine of a possible 10 first place votes.
Manchester ranked second in this year’s voting with 73 points and a first place vote. Franklin and Hanover ranked third and fourth with 64 and 56 points, respectively. Rounding out the top-five was Anderson with 46 points.
RHIT returns a strong contingent of All-Conference performers, including 2025 Newcomer of the Year Ben Tuckis (Fishers, Ind.). Other returning All-Conference runners include Will Boschen (Irvine, Calif.),
Eduardo del Rosal (Miami, Fla.),
John Gries (Greenwood, Ind.),
Chris Lynn (Redmond, Wash.),
Rhys Phelps (Raleigh, N.C.), and
Wyatt Starkie (Columbus, Ohio).
The 2026 HCAC Cross Country Championships are scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 31 with Manchester University serving as host.
2026 HCAC Men's Cross Country Preseason Coaches' Poll Results
| 1. |
Rose-Hulman |
81 (9) |
| 2. |
Manchester |
73 (1) |
| 3. |
Franklin |
64 |
| 4. |
Hanover |
56 |
| 5. |
Anderson |
46 |
| 6. |
Berea |
38 |
| 7. |
Transylvania |
30 |
| 8. |
Earlham |
25 |
| 9. |
Bluffton |
23 |
| 10. |
Mount St. Joseph |
14 |
2026 Team-by-Team Capsules
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Fightin’ Engineers (Terre Haute, Ind.)
Predicted 2026 HCAC Finish = First place with 81 poll points and nine first place votes.
Head Coach = Derick Lawrence (2025 Coach of the Year)
2025 Championship Result = 1st Place (25 points)
Returning HCAC All-Conference Runners = 8
- (All-Conference) Will Boschen, Senior, Irvine, Calif.
- (All-Conference) Eduardo del Rosal, Senior, Miami, Fla.
- (All-Conference) John Gries, Senior, Greenwood, Ind.
- (All-Conference) Chris Lynn, Senior, Redmond, Wash.
- (All-Conference) Rhys Phelps, Senior, Raleigh, N.C.
- (All-Conference) Wyatt Starkie, Senior, Columbus, Ohio
- (All-Conference) Ben Tuckis, Sophomore, Fishers, Ind. (2025 Newcomer of the Year)
- (HM) Cole Stevens, Sophomore, Edinburgh, Ind.
Other Runners to Watch =
- Xaiden Jenson, Sophomore, McCordsville, Ind.
Manchester University Spartans (North Manchester, Ind.)
Predicted 2026 HCAC Finish = Second place with 73 poll points and one first place vote.
Head Coach = Brian Cashdollar
2025 Championship Result = 2nd Place (53 points)
Returning HCAC All-Conference Runners = 2
- (HM) Logan Ferris, Junior, Madison, Ind.
- (HM) Darius Osborn, Junior, Hartford City, Ind.
Other Runners to Watch in 2026 =
- Austin Johnson, Junior, Leo, Ind.
Franklin College Grizzlies (Franklin, Ind.)
Predicted 2026 HCAC Finish = Third place with 64 poll points.
Head Coach = Brandon Dworak
2025 Championship Result = 3rd Place (73 points)
Returning HCAC All-Conference Runners = 1
- (All-Conference) William Hirsch, Junior, Evansville, Ind.
Other Runners to Watch in 2026 =
- Finn Adams, Junior, Newburgh, Ind.
- Nathan Furnish, Senior, Vevay, Ind.
- Zachary Schroeder, Junior, Evansville, Ind.
Hanover College Panthers (Hanover, Ind.)
Predicted 2026 HCAC Finish = Fourth place with 56 poll points.
Head Coach = Brady Wells
2025 Championship Result = 4th Place (105 points)
Returning HCAC All-Conference Runners = 2
- (All-Conference) Colin Kistler, Junior, Columbus, Ind.
- (HM) Oxiel Castro Badillo, Senior, Palmyra, Ind.
Other Runners to Watch in 2026 =
- Jacob Miller, Junior, Salem, Ind.
Anderson University Ravens (Anderson, Ind.)
Predicted 2026 HCAC Finish = Fifth place with 46 poll points.
Head Coach = Nic Huffman
2025 Championship Result = 5th Place (162 points)
Runners to Watch in 2026 =
- Johnnie Behrends, Sophomore, Normal, Ill.
- Kyle Corbin, Junior, Indianapolis, Ind.
Berea College Mountaineers (Berea, Ky.)
Predicted 2026 HCAC Finish = Sixth place with 38 poll points.
Head Coach = Michael Thomas
2025 Championship Result = 7th Place (170 points)
Runners to Watch in 2026 =
- Desire Itwitaho, Sophomore, Louisville, Ky.
- Taiki Ogawa, Junior, Scappoose, Ore.
- Kellen Young, Sophomore, Louisville, Ky.
Transylvania Pioneers (Lexington, Ky.)
Predicted 2026 HCAC Finish = Seventh place with 30 poll points.
Head Coach = Matt Andrews
2025 Championship Result = 8th Place (226 points)
Earlham College Quakers (Richmond, Ind.)
Predicted 2026 HCAC Finish = Tenth place with 17 poll points.
Head Coach = George Rickett
2025 Championship Result = 6th Place (170 points)
Bluffton University Beavers (Bluffton, Ohio)
Predicted 2026 HCAC Finish = Ninth place with 23 poll points.
Head Coach = Connor Gulick
2025 Championship Result = No Team Score
Runners to Watch in 2026 =
- Grant Beasley, Junior, Versailles, Ohio
- Micah Dodson, Senior, Wooster, Ohio
Mount St. Joseph Lions (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Predicted 2026 HCAC Finish = Tenth place with 14 poll points.
Head Coach = Adam Cokonougher
2025 Championship Result = No Team Score
Runners to Watch in 2026 =
- Collin Wilson, Freshman, Cincinnati, Ohio