FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (August 18, 2026) – The Northern Arizona cross country team announced its 2026 schedule this week, which features two home meets in Flagstaff and four meets on the road.
The Lumberjacks will open the 2026 season on Wednesday, Sept. 2, at Buffalo Park in Flagstaff with the annual George Kyte Classic. The meet is a long-standing tradition for Flagstaff and the Northern Arizona program, and serves as a strong opener as the Lumberjacks pursue another season at the top of the Big Sky and NCAA standings.
The team will then travel to Indiana State, the site of the 2026 NCAA Cross Country Championships, for the John McNichols Invitational on Sept. 19, followed by the Nuttycombe Invitational on Oct. 9. Northern Arizona has historically competed at the Nuttycombe Invitational, which has consistently been a standout meet on the team's schedule.
Northern Arizona cross country will begin its championship season at the Big Sky Championships, hosted at Buffalo Park in Flagstaff. The meet marks the return of the Big Sky Cross Country Championships to Flagstaff for the first time since 2012. The Lumberjack men enter the season as five-time defending Big Sky champions, having captured 34 team titles and 34 individual championships throughout program history. On the women's side, NAU enters the season riding a streak of seven consecutive Big Sky team titles, dating back to 2019. The Lumberjacks will look to continue that championship tradition when they take on the conference's best at Buffalo Park.
"We are extremely excited to be hosting the Big Sky Cross Country Championships this fall," Jarred Cornfield stated. "It has been over 10 years since we last hosted, and I'm thrilled to be able to compete for a championship with our Flagstaff community out in support. Mark your calendars for Friday, October 30! We would love to have everyone in the community there to support NAU cross country and help us do our best to bring more championships to Flagstaff."
The team will then look to advance to the NCAA Mountain Regional Championships and, ultimately, the NCAA Cross Country Championships, which will be held in Terre Haute, Ind. Both the men's and women's teams placed an impressive eighth at the NCAA Championships in 2025.
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