HELENA, Mont. – Carroll College Cross Country will kick off the 2026 season at the Bobcat Twilight Meet in Bozeman, Mont. on Friday September 4.

 

The meet will be the first of six regular season meets for the Saints and will be followed by the Montana Open in Missoula, Mont. on Sept. 18, the Butte XC Invite in Butte, Mont. on Sept. 24, the Charles Bowles Invite in Salem, Ore. on Oct. 3, the Yellowjackets/Battlin Bears Open in Billings, Mont. on Oct. 9, and the NAIA Great Lakes Challenge in Grand Rapids, Mich. on Oct. 24. The Frontier Conference Championships will be held in Billings, Mont. on Nov. 6, and the NAIA National Championships will be in Vancouver, Wash. on Nov. 20.

 

Last season, the Saints women won the Frontier Conference Championships and went on to place 20th at the NAIA National Championships. They return a strong group including 2 time cross country All-Conference selection and national qualifier Isabelle Ruff, last year's All-Conference selections Ryah O'Dell and Jayna Boonstra, and Indoor National Qualifier Audrey VanWestrienen. 19 individuals total will compete at the Bobcat Twilight this week including freshmen Ella Menard, Ruthanne Arthun, and Aundra Passmore who will race for the first time in a Saints uniform.

 

The Saints men placed 2nd at the Frontier Championships before placing 16th at the NAIA Championships. While the men graduated several long time contributors (Daniel Koralewski, Zack Gacnik, and Brycen Gardner), they return multi time All-Conference selection Oliver Morris, multi time 800m Champion and 2025 cross country All-Conference selection Jack Jensen, and cross country Nationals and track & field Conference point scorer Conrad Schruth. The Saints added three freshmen (Mack Boyd, Zach Boroff, and Colter Anderson). Boyd and Boroff will join the squad racing on Friday for a total competing roster of 9.

 

In the preseason polls, the Saints women were voted to win the Conference with the men picked 2nd. On the national scale, both Carroll's men and women were selected 19th in the preseason polls.

 

The Bobcat Twilight races will take place at the Montana State University practice fields south of Brick Breeden Fieldhouse with the Men's 5k at 7:20 pm and the Women's 5k at 7:45 pm.

 

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