Kansas City, MO – The University of the Cumberlands men's cross country team will begin the 2026 campaign ranked First in the NAIA Preseason Coaches' Poll, officials announced Thursday. The Patriots also enter the season ranked First in the Mid-South Conference preseason ranking.

UC is coming off a strong 2025 campaign, finishing third at the NAIA National Championships with 160 points. The finish marked the Patriots' third consecutive third place showing at nationals. Cumberlands also captured its third straight Mid-South Conference title, posting a perfect score of 15 points after sweeping the top five spots.

 The Patriots return several key contributors from last year's squad, including Ryan Ehrler, Noah Loeser, Casey DeSilvey, Sean Crady, and Caden Cull, while also welcoming two-time NAIA All-American Luca Madeo back to the cross country lineup.

Ehrler earned MSC First Team All-Conference honors after placing second at the conference championships. He recorded a career-best 8K time of 24:22.41 at the NAIA Appalachian Challenge before placing 63rd at the NAIA National Championships.

Loeser also earned First Team All-Conference honors, placing fourth at the MSC Championships. He clocked a season-best 24:40.71 at the Appalachian Challenge and finished 45th at the NAIA Championships with a time of 25:22.2.

DeSilvey made an immediate impact during his freshman campaign, winning the Berea/Centre Jamboree 5K before placing sixth at the MSC Championships to earn First Team All-Conference honors. Crady and Cull added Second Team All-Conference honors, giving UC additional returning depth.

Madeo returns to the cross country lineup after earning NAIA All-American honors in both 2023 and 2024. He owns a personal-best 8K time of 23:48.1, the second-fastest mark in program history, and placed 10th at the 2024 NAIA National Championships.

With a strong group of returners and a mix of newcomers, the Patriots look to build on three consecutive Mid-South Conference titles and three straight third place finishes at the NAIA National Championships.

The Patriots are the lone Mid-South Conference team represented in the poll, while defending national champion Illinois Wesleyan and Southern Oregon round out the top three

UC opens its 2026 campaign on September 4th at the IWU Twilight Invitational in Marion, Indiana.

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