CARMEL, Ind. – The Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) Cross Country teams competed in week two of the 2026 season.
 
Around the League:
HCAC Cross Country Schedule
 
Athletes of the Week: 
Men’s Athlete of the Week:
William Hirsch (Evansville, Ind.) Franklin College | Junior - William Hirsch repeated as the individual men's champion at the Hanover Invitational. He covered the 6K course in 20:18, distancing second place by 12 seconds and leading Franklin to a third place team finish.

Women’s Athlete of the Week:
Chesnee Miller (Akron, Ind.) Manchester University | Junior - Chesnee Miller ran 22:50 in a 6K over the weekend. She ended up as the 10th fastest Great Lakes regional athlete.  

Notable Performances:
Men's:

• Taiki Ogawa (Portland, Ore.) Berea College | Junior - Taiki Ogawa ran a strong race, competing in his first collegiate race of the year. He finished with a time of 20:45.2 to take fourth overall at the Hanover XC Invitational, leading Berea to a fourth place finish.
• Colin Kistler (Columbus, Ind.) Hanover College | Junior - Colin Kistler finished third overall in the Hanover XC Invitational on Saturday improving nine places from his finish in the meet a year ago.
• Austin Johnson (Leo, Ind.) Manchester University | Junior - Austin Johnson was the top finisher for the Spartans over the weekend.  His time of 26:12 was the ninth fastest among Great Lakes teams. 

Women's:

• E Chambers (Parsons, W.Va.) Berea College | Senior - E Chambers opened their senior year with a strong showing at the Hanover XC Invitational, running a time of 22:56 to take 21st overall.
• Brianna Bittel (San Jose, Calif.) Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology | Senior - Brianna Bittel recorded a fourth place finish at the Hanover Invitational 5K with a time of 21:01.41. She led Rose-Hulman to a second place finish as a team.

2026 Athlete of the Week Reports:
Week 1 (Week ending Sept. 6)
Week 2 (Week ending Sept. 13)