The beginning of the cross country season is just days away, and the River States Conference is excited to preview the 2026 seasons for our member schools! Each RSC school talked with runners and coaches from their teams, with those interviews linked below as part of Media Day!
Additionally, each school has spotlighted runners expected to be major contributors during the 2026 campaign, and are also listed below as our 2026 Players to Watch!
BRESCIA
Media Day
Male Runners to Watch
Owen Halcomb
Freshman | Central City, Kentucky
Halcomb joins the Bearcats as an incoming freshman from Muhlenberg County High School. He is expected to be a contributor immediately, posting a top 5k time of 16:52.62 in high school, per MileSplit.
Female Runners to Watch
Ava Falloway
Freshman | Owensboro, Kentucky
Falloway did not go far for her collegiate career as an Owensboro native. During her career, she was an All-Area selection at Apollo High School, and a finalist for Runner of the Year by the Owensboro Times.
IU COLUMBUS
Media Day (Coming Friday)
Male Runners to Watch
Henry Fleetwood
Sophomore | Morgantown, Indiana
Henry joined the Crimson Pride late in the season last year and made an immediate impact. After a few weeks of XC and a full track season, he is poised and ready to prove his place in the River States Conference. Henry is eager to break through personally and as a leader for his teammates.
Emiliano Rosales-Lopez
Junior | Columbus, Indiana
Coaches stated that Emiliano was planning on transferring after last year to head to the Bloomington campus, but decided he was having too much fun with the Crimson Pride and that he had a lot left to chase on the XC course. Rosales-Lopez made incredible progress last year and is eager to see where his ceiling is.
Female Runners to Watch
Phoebe Dowty
Sophomore | Morgantown, Indiana
Phoebe missed qualifying for the national meet last year by one spot (only six seconds) as a freshman. After a successful track season, she is motivated and hungry to make it to the NAIA's this year.
Alex Saavedra
Sophomore | Mishawaka, Indiana
Alex is coming back for her second season of XC and is motivated and excited to continue to better her massive improvements from last year.
IU EAST
Media Day
Male Runners to Watch
Thomas Hogan
Sophomore | Leopold, Indiana
Thomas competed in the NAIA National Championships after earning a position on the All-River States Conference third team.
William Watson
Freshman | Whiteland, Indiana
William is an incoming freshman from Whiteland Community High School, who competed in the Indiana State Championships.
Female Runners to Watch
Nami Inoue
Freshman | Lafayette, Indiana
Nami is an incoming freshman from McCutcheon High School.
Chloe Scales
Senior | Centerville, Indiana
Chloe finished 12th in the NAIA Marathon Classic and competed at the NAIA National Championships. She was also on the All-River States Conference second team and a River States Conference Scholar-Athlete.
IU KOKOMO
Men's Media Day
Women's Media Day
Male Runners to Watch
Karter Jackson
Sophomore | Clinton, Indiana
Jackson made an immediate impact during his freshman campaign, emerging as one of the Cougars' top runners throughout the 2025 season. He led IU Kokomo in his collegiate debut with a 26:25.90 8K and later finished fourth at the Patty Forgey Invitational as the Cougars captured the team title. After an impressive first season, Jackson returns poised to take another step forward and help lead the IU Kokomo lineup in 2026.
Drew Lovelace
Senior | Westfield, Indiana
One of the Cougars' most experienced runners, Lovelace enters his senior season after consistently contributing to IU Kokomo's scoring lineup throughout 2025. He posted a personal best early in the season and turned in several strong performances, including an eighth-place finish at the Patty Forgey Invitational, helping the Cougars capture the team title. Lovelace will look to provide experience and consistency as IU Kokomo continues to build on one of the strongest seasons in program history.
Female Runners to Watch
Haley Blackburn
Freshman | Lafayette, Indiana
Blackburn begins her collegiate career at IU Kokomo after joining the Cougars from Lafayette Jefferson High School. As one of several talented newcomers joining the program in 2026, she will look to make an immediate impact and add depth to a Cougar squad looking to continue its upward trajectory in the River States Conference.
Alysha Crouch
Junior | Muncie, Indiana
Crouch returns as one of the Cougars' top runners after earning Third-Team All-River States Conference honors with a 17th-place finish at the 2025 RSC Championship. She also posted a personal-best 5K time of 19:24.40 during the season, moving her into seventh on IU Kokomo's all-time performance list. Crouch enters her junior campaign poised to once again be a key contributor at the front of the Cougar lineup.
KENTUCKY CHRISTIAN
Media Day
Male Runners to Watch
Lennon Smith
Freshman | Stanton, Kentucky
Lennon is a 2026 Powell County High School graduate, and was the 2026 KHSAA State runner-up in both the 1600 meter and 800 meter races. Lennon is expected to make an immediate impact with the Kentucky Christian University cross country team
Female Runners to Watch
Hadleigh McGoskey
Senior | Ravenswood, West Virginia
McGoskey is a senior who has been working hard since indoor track to make an impact for Kentucky Christian University.
MIDWAY
Media Day
Male Runners to Watch
Chance Collins
Freshman | Hyden, Kentucky
Collins joins the Midway roster as a freshman from Leslie County High School in Hyden, Kentucky. Collins was a state champion distance runner at Leslie County, winning the KHSAA 1A title in the 3200 meters.
Carson Milner
Senior | Walton, Kentucky
Milner is one of the top returning runners in the River States Conference, placing fourth at last year's RSC Championships. The senior, an NAIA Championships qualifier, is a two-time All-Conference honoree, earning Third Team accolades as a sophomore before upgrading to First Team recognition during his junior year.
Female Runners to Watch
Ariah Egleston
Junior | Morehead, Kentucky
Egleston is a former RSC All-Conference selection, earning Second Team honors following her freshman season. She has a career-best 6k time of 24:20.1, and is again expected to be one of Midway's top runners entering the 2026 season.
Lexus Ralph
Senior | Owensboro, Kentucky
Ralph comes to Midway as a transfer from Georgetown College. The Owensboro native, who is also expected to contribute for the Midway track and field program as a distance runner, has a career-best 6k time of 25:03.8.
RIO GRANDE
Media Day
Male Runners to Watch
Ryder Crawford
Junior | Batavia, Ohio
Crawford is the top returner in the conference based on finish at last year's RSC Championships. The bronze medalist and First Team All-Conference selection. Crawford's personal record in the 8k is 24:37.6, set at last season's NAIA Appalachian Challenge.
Kasy Science
Senior | Marietta, Ohio
Science was a Second Team All-Conference honoree in 2025, finishing tenth as part of Rio Grande's conference championship winning team. Science is a five-time RSC Champion in track & field, including three championships last year.
Female Runners to Watch
Laura Hamm
Junior | South Point, Ohio
Hamm is the top returning finisher from the 2025 River States Conference Championships, placing fourth last year on the Rio home course. Hamm has been a two-time First Team All-Conference selection, and has won eight River States Conference titles in track and field.
Brandy Shular
Sophomore | Winchester, Ohio
Shular returns as the 2025 RSC Newcomer of the Year following a fifth place finish at the River States Conference Championships. Shular was also the RSC Champion in the 3000 meter steeplechase at the 2026 RSC Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
ST. MARY-OF-THE-WOODS
Men's Media Day
Women's Media Day
Male Runners to Watch
Jayden Hickenbotham
Sophomore | Center Point, Indiana
Hickenbotham returns after finishing third for SMWC at the 2025 RSC Championships with an 8K time of 29:26.1. He continued his development during track season, competing from the 800 meters through the 5,000 meters and steeplechase, and gives the Pomeroys another experienced runner near the front of the lineup entering 2026.
Nathan Odle
Sophomore | Williamsport, Indiana
Odle enters 2026 as SMWC’s top returning finisher from the 2025 River States Conference Championships after completing the 8K in 28:58.7. He followed that fall with a strong track season, including an SMWC indoor record of 2:40.82 in the 1,000 meters, giving the Pomeroys a proven returning option at the front of the cross country lineup.
Female Runners to Watch
Gwen Garman
Junior | West Terre Haute, Indiana
Garman returns after finishing 54th overall at the 2025 RSC Championships in 27:25.7, making her SMWC’s second-highest returning conference finisher. She carried that momentum into track season, winning the 1,500 meters at the Fightin’ Engineers Spring Classic and contributing to SMWC’s conference-scoring 4x800-meter relay.
Brooke Mace
Sophomore | Carbon, Indiana
Mace enters 2026 as SMWC’s top returning finisher from the 2025 RSC Championships after placing 40th overall in the 6K with a time of 26:09.4. She continued to develop during track season, including a runner-up finish in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the Greenville Select Meet and a second-place 1,500-meter finish at the Fightin’ Engineers Spring Classic.
WVU TECH
Media Day
Male Runners to Watch
Jan Fasius Ponsa
Sophomore | Manresa, Spain
Fasius Ponsa is coming off a stellar freshman season where he set the outdoor school record for the mile and logged a time of 4:10 in the 1500. Coaches refer to him as a very hard worker that wants to do anything he can to be a better athlete.
Evan McElwayne
Junior | Clarksburg, West Virginia
McElwayne had a great sophomore year by setting new personal best times in the 1k, 1500, mile, 3k, 5k and 8k during cross country season. Coaches say he is a consistent low stick for the cross country team and also leads by example and wants the best for his teammates at every race.
Female Runners to Watch
Peyton Asbury
Junior | Hampshire County, West Virginia
Asbury had a great sophomore season where she set new personal best times in the 800, 1k, mile, 1500, 5k and 6k during cross country season. She also participated in the Marathon Classic event held in Dallas last December.
Lexie Wikel
Junior | Mullens, West Virginia
Wikel is coming off an incredible sophomore campaign where she set new personal bests in the 1k, 3k, 1500, mile, 5k during cross country, 6k during cross country and 5k overall during indoor track season. Her mile time set the new school record for outdoor track. Coaches say she will be a great leader for the team, both vocally and by example, this year.