The 2016, 2017, and 2018 men's cross country NCAA National Championship teams set the standard for Northern Arizona cross country as it's known today. The 2016 squad solidified national prominence for the program and started the current streak of six national titles in eight years.
 
Eric Heins, who was inducted into NAU's Hall of Fame in 2022, led Northern Arizona to its first national title. Current Director of Cross Country and Track and Field, Michael Smith, led the Lumberjacks to the next two after taking over for Heins and assisting on the 2016 squad. Matthew Baxter, Tyler Day and Geordie Beamish were members of all three championship teams.
 
"We are thrilled to celebrate the 2016, 2017 and 2018 NCAA Championship cross country teams. These teams made history and broke NAU through the top of Division I cross country with each season being remarkable accomplishments made by remarkable athletes," said Smith. "We look forward to honoring these teams and reliving those amazing seasons together."
 
2016: The 2016 squad was coached by Eric Heins and was the first championship of its kind in any sport for the Lumberjacks, and the first NCAA Championship for a Big Sky Conference institution outside of football. The Lumberjacks had three athletes notch top-25 finishes and were the first non-Power 5 university to win an NCAA Cross Country Championship since 1981.  
 
Northern Arizona claimed first place with 125 points, topping second-place Stanford by 33 points. Four Lumberjacks earned NCAA All-American status in Futsum Zienasellassie, Matthew Baxter, Tyler Day, and Andy Trouard. Zienasellassie would lead the way with a fourth-place finish, becoming the first ever Lumberjack cross country athlete to be crowned a four-time NCAA All-American.
 
The 2016 championship roster was comprised of Zienasellassie, Baxter, Day, Trouard, Cory Glines, Nathan Weitz and Geordie Beamish.
 
2017: The 2017 National Championship team repeated in dominating fashion, earning 74 points and winning by 53. The Lumberjacks placed five athletes in the top-40, led by Baxter with a second-place finish and Day coming in third.
 
Baxter, Day, Peter Lomong, Trouard and Beamish earned All-American honors as the Lumberjacks became the first program to win back-to-back titles since Colorado accomplished the feat in 2013 and 2014.
 
The 2017 championship roster included Baxter, Day, Lomong, Trouard, Beamish, Luis Grijalva and Cory Glines.
 
2018: The 2018 team became the first program to three-peat since the 1998-00 Arkansas squads. The Lumberjacks scored 83 points to take the title as a team, besting second-place BYU who scored 116 points. Northern Arizona pushed through snow and cold temperatures in Wisconsin and were led by Day who finished in sixth-place. Lomong, Blaise Ferro, Luis Grijalva, Beamish, Baxter and Day each earned All-American honors.
 
The 2018 championship squad was made up by Day, Baxter, Grijalva, Ferro, Lomong, Beamish and Ryan Raff.