CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- All 16 men's and women's cross country squads from the American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) will descend on the BVU Golf Course at Lake Creek in Storm Lake, Iowa for the running of the 2026 championships on Saturday, October 31. 
 

2026 American Rivers Conference Men's Cross Country Pre-Championship Coaches' Poll
Place	Team (first-place votes)	Points
1.	Wartburg College (7)	49
2.	Central College	43
3.	Loras College	37
4.	Simpson College	29
5.	Nebraska Wesleyan University	27
6.	University of Dubuque	19
7.	Coe College	11
8.	Buena Vista University	9

2026 American Rivers Conference Women's Cross Country Pre-Championship Coaches' Poll
Place	Team (first-place votes)	Points
1.	Wartburg College (7)	49
2.	Central College	43
3.	Loras College	37
T-4.	Nebraska Wesleyan University	28
T-4.	Simpson College	28
6.	University of Dubuque	18
7.	Buena Vista University	14
8.	Coe College	7

Championships Fast Facts: 
This year's championship will begin with the women's 6,000-meter race at noon followed by the men's 8,000-meter race at 1:00 p.m. The awards ceremony will take place at approximately 2:00 p.m.

Each institution may enter as many runners as they would like, with the top five finishers counting towards the team score. 

Championships Details: 
Date: Saturday, October 31
Location: BVU Golf Course at Lake Creek
Parking Location: Buena Vista County Fairgrounds (approximately 2.5 miles west of BVU Golf Course at Lake Creek. A shuttle will be available. 

Defending Team Champions: 
The Wartburg College Knights enter as the defending champions on both the men's and women's sides. The Wartburg men enter the weekend ranked No. 1 nationally and the women enter ranked No. 20 nationally. 

Defending Individual Champions: 
Men: Wartburg's Isaiah Hammerand looks to win his third straight A-R-C title this weekend. 
Women: Loras' Keelee Leitzen is on the hunt to defend her title this weekend in Storm Lake.

2025 Championship Recap: 
For the seventh consecutive year, the Wartburg College Knights men’s and women’s teams swept the American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) Cross Country Championships. The team titles were the seventh in a row for the women and eighth straight for the men. Wartburg's Isaiah Hammerand won his second consecutive individual title and set a new championship record with a time of 23:44.2. Loras' Keelee Leitzen won the women's race in a time of 21:24.1.

Cross Country Runners of the Week: 
Men: 

• September 8: William Wadsley, Central
• September 14: Jack Brown, Central
• September 21: Ayden Buchanan, Wartburg
• October 5: Isaiah Hammerand, Wartburg
• October 19: Isaiah Hammerand, Wartburg

Women: 

• September 8: Keelee Leitzen, Loras
• September 14: Maddy Stevens, Central
• September 21: Lydia Maas, Wartburg
• October 5: Dede Davis, Univ. of Dubuque
• October 19: Keelee Leitzen, Loras

Tracking Conference Titles: 
Men: Luther (32), Wartburg (22), Loras (8), Central (2), Univ. of Dubuque (2), Simpson (1)
Women: Wartburg (22), Luther (12), Simpson (4), Central (2), Nebraska Wesleyan (2), Loras (1)

Key Storylines: 
Major Awards: The A-R-C will name a Runner of the Year, Rookie of the Year, and Coaching Staff of the Year following the completion of the championship. The Rookie of the Year will be the top student-athlete who is using their first year of eligibility in collegiate cross country. 
All-Conference: All-Conference honors will be awarded to the top-20 runners.

Live Results: 
Live results are available through Wayzata Timing. 

Merchandise Available: 
Merchandise is available for purchase online only through the league's GameOne partnership and can be purchased HERE.

Weather Forecast: 
Bring your umbrellas and water proof shoes as there is rain predicted in Storm Lake for the championships. 

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Don't forget to become a fan of the American Rivers Conference on Facebook @AmericanRiversConference, X (Twitter) @AmerRiversConf, and Instagram @AmericanRiversConference, and LinkedIn @AmericanRiversConference

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About the American Rivers Conference
Nationally respected for excellence in NCAA Division III athletics, the American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) has a tradition dating back to its founding in 1922 as the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Association and adopted its current name in 2018 to reflect its strong Iowa roots and growing regional footprint. The A-R-C is a collaborative community that champions the holistic development of student-athletes, uniting member institutions in a shared commitment to academic achievement, athletic distinction, and leadership.
The A-R-C is home to eight full-time member institutions: Buena Vista University, Central College, Coe College, University of Dubuque, Loras College, Nebraska Wesleyan University, Simpson College, and Wartburg College. The A-R-C also includes two affiliate members for men’s and women’s swimming & diving: Illinois Tech and University of Minnesota Morris.