KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – A proven group of returning runners will lead the Truman State University men's and women's cross country teams into the 2026 season, the second under head coach Thomas Whittaker.

The Bulldog women return six of the seven runners who represented Truman at last year's NCAA Division II Midwest Regional Championships. The men bring back four of their five scorers from the 2025 Great Lakes Valley Conference Championships and five members of their regional lineup.

That experience will be important as both teams look to build upon their first season under Whittaker.
 

Women Return Core From Successful 2025 Season

The Truman women finished among the top five at four meets last season, beginning with a runner-up finish in a 10-team field at the Prairie Stars Invitational. The Bulldogs followed with fourth place among 23 teams at the Bradley Intercollegiate and eighth in a 20-team field at the Gans Creek Classic.

Truman earned its top result of the season at the Brian T. Simpson Invitational, winning the 12-team meet before placing fifth among 14 programs at the GLVC Championships.

The Bulldogs concluded the season with a 15th-place finish in a 32-team field at the NCAA Midwest Regional Championships.

Much of the group responsible for those results returns in 2026.

Junior Carmen Gentilia is Truman's top returning finisher from the GLVC Championships after placing 21st in 22:50.4. She missed All-GLVC recognition by one position.

Redshirt senior McKenna Ledgerwood placed 24th at the conference meet and later finished 61st at the Midwest Regional in 22:43.2, one place behind departing senior Cora Stimpson. Junior Clare Stahr, sophomore Anna Ripley and junior Phoebe Canatsey also return after contributing to Truman's regional team score.

Stahr placed 81st at the regional meet, followed by Ripley in 94th and Canatsey in 108th. Senior Ellie Webb, who finished 31st at the GLVC Championships and 116th at the regional, gives the Bulldogs another experienced postseason runner.

Truman returns six of its top seven finishers from the 2025 conference meet and six of its seven regional participants. Four of the five runners who scored during the Bulldogs' fifth-place conference performance are back.

The women's roster also includes seniors Andrea Riley and Kendra Zeilstra, juniors Jocelyn Dorsey, Kate Doyle and Sarah Williams, and several returning underclassmen. Six freshmen join the team for the 2026 season.

The GLVC coaches placed Truman sixth in the preseason poll with 117 points. The Bulldogs finished only eight points behind fifth-place Drury in the voting. Defending champion Lewis received 13 first-place votes and was selected to win the conference.

Returning Scorers Anchor Men's Team

The Truman men enter the season with a large portion of their 2025 postseason lineup intact, although they must replace Jake Gutzman, who led the Bulldogs at both the GLVC Championships and NCAA Midwest Regional.

Senior Nolan Meara is the top returning runner from both meets. He finished 74th at the conference championships in 26:22.8 before placing 122nd in the regional 10K with a time of 33:31.5.

Sophomores Evan Wilke, Andrew Kuehler and Jacob Snyder also return after scoring at the GLVC Championships. Wilke placed 87th, Kuehler finished 94th and Snyder was 100th as Truman placed 10th in the 12-team field.

Wilke and Snyder were the Bulldogs' third and fourth finishers at the Midwest Regional, while Kuehler completed Truman's seven-runner lineup. Senior Brycen Compton also returns after competing at both postseason meets and finishing sixth among the Bulldogs at the regional.

The returning group gives Truman four of its five conference scorers and five of its seven regional runners from last season.

The men's roster also includes juniors Michael Bottary, Willem Hummel and Andrew Kuntz, along with several runners who gained experience during their first collegiate seasons. Six freshmen join the roster and will compete for positions within the lineup.

Truman was selected ninth in the GLVC preseason coaches' poll with 39 points. Lewis received 11 first-place votes and was picked to win a fourth consecutive conference championship.

2026 Schedule

Both teams will compete seven times during the 2026 season, including three consecutive meets at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Missouri.

The Bulldogs open the season Sept. 11 at the Larry Young Invitational. They return to Gans Creek for the Gans Creek Classic on Sept. 25 and the Brian T. Simpson Invite on Oct. 10.

Truman's final regular-season competition will be the Griffon Invite on Oct. 24 in St. Joseph, Missouri.

The GLVC Championships are scheduled for Nov. 7 in Springfield, Missouri. The NCAA Midwest Regional Championships will be held Nov. 21 in Kenosha, Wisconsin, with qualifying teams and individuals advancing to the NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships on Dec. 4 in Lawrence, Kansas.

2026 Truman Cross Country Schedule

2026 GLVC Women's Cross Country Preseason Poll

2026 GLVC Men's Cross Country Preseason Poll