COLUMBUS, Miss. – The W men's cross country team has been voted seventh in the 2026 St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) pre-season coaches' poll, which was released on Monday. The Owls are coming off of their best SLIAC finish last season.

Greenville University was picked at the top of the 2026 SLIAC Men's Cross Country Coaches Poll, receiving 62 total points, including seven of nine first-place selections. The Panthers have won 10 consecutive SLIAC Championships, and head coach Brian Patton returns all but one runner from last year's squad. Kaden Einhorn is the latest in the line of Panther champions, capturing last year's individual title in his first collegiate season. Einhorn was his team's top finisher in all six races last fall. Mason Clayton, who finished second, and Luis Zavala, who placed third, are also back to push Einhorn for top honors each week. Chris Bandy and Kyle Cooley continue with the strong list of runners for the program. New faces to watch are Avery Brock, Tyler Butler, Nathan Clampett, and Hunter Malan.

Principia College finished 2nd in the voting with 54 points, grabbing one first-place nod. The Panthers have to replace their top runner from last year (Zach Proctor), but head coach Justin Halley has some experienced runners to lean on. Kennett Rampley comes into his senior season having earned All-Conference honors last fall. Holland Thomas was a First Team All-Conference runner and had a season-best time of 27:22. Next in line for Principia will be new additions Tyrone Meridian, Dallas Manhart, and Davyon Walker.

Webster University was chosen to finish 3rd with 49 points and received the remaining first-place vote. Head Coach Kyle Robinson returns a talented and experienced roster that boasts four All-Conference runners. Ethan Neiroda is a three-time All-Conference runner and was the league's top runner at regionals last fall. Simon Muthemba burst onto the scene as a freshman last year, pacing the Gorloks at the conference championship with a third-place finish. Brayden Halter and Johnny Imboden were Second Team All-Conference runners. Key runners that could make an impact are Jayden Perry, Lucas Underwood, Kevin Morales, and Bryan Tucker.

Coming in 4th on the poll was Spalding University with 39 points. No team information was provided.

Blackburn College made strides last year and that showed in this year's voting, placing 5th with 32 points. Head Coach Noah Daum returns an experienced roster that had the program's best finish at the conference championship since 2021. Christian Miller was the team's highest finisher in last year's final meet, while Collyn Oberkfell had two top team finishes in 2025. Ulises Espinoza returns for his final season, while Sam Schoeneweis placed among his team's top three finishers in three races as a freshman.

Lyon College received 26 points and placed 6th. Katherine Mayberry steps up into the head coach role after previously serving as the assistant coach. She will build her lineup around returners Gavin Bush and Collin Orvin. Orvin was the Scots top finisher in the team's final six races last year and finished with a season-best time of 31:51. Bush is hoping for a fully healthy season, while freshman Elijah Benton will look to bolster the lineup.

MUW totaled 24 points and finished 7th in the voting. Head Coach Dedrick Burnett returns three of his top runners from last year. Jarvis Sellers was the Owls' top runner in all five races last fall, including a program-best finish at the SLIAC Championship. Noel Kellum was among the top three Owl runners each time he competed, while Bryson Boler looks to continue his growth after his freshman campaign. Trevor Davis and Welton Davidson join the program.

Eureka College comes in at 8th on the voting with 21 points. Red Devil head coach Chris Robinson has a strong top of the lineup in the duo of Cole Glover and Bailey Webster. Both runners were First Team All-SLIAC runners last year, with Glover finishing second at last year's conference championship, becoming the highest-finishing Red Devil in program history and setting a program 8K record time. The lineup gets deeper with the addition of Kaden Nauman.

Westminster College collected 17 points, placing them 9th on the poll. No team information provided.

2026 SLIAC MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY WATCH LIST
Mason Clayton, Greenville University
Kaden Einhorn, Greenville University
Cole Glover, Eureka College
Johnny Imboden, Webster University
Simon Muthemba, Webster University
Ethan Nieroda, Webster University
Kennett Rampley, Principia College
Holland Thomas, Principia College
Bailey Webster, Eureka College
Louis Zavala, Greenville University