TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State Head Cross Country Coach Brad Butler and Cross Country/Track and Field Program Director and Head Coach Angela Martin announced the Sycamores' 2026 cross country schedule Friday morning.
 
"Our schedule this fall is full of great competition," Butler said." We will go to some familiar local meets the first half of the season that we have raced well at in the past. Conference and regionals will be at different courses for this group, which will be exciting. We look forward to hosting multiple meets on our home course out at LaVern Gibson with the best teams in the country attending." 

The Sycamores' 2026 slate features eight meets, with four coming on the renowned LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course. Indiana State is also the 2026 NCAA Cross Country National Championship host, with the premier meet on the cross country schedule coming to Terre Haute for the 14th time.
 
"Our schedule for this season is challenging, but we know that the experiences our student-athletes will get are top-notch," Martin said. "The LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course is undergoing a facelift this summer, and we are so excited to show off the improvements at the meets we are hosting this year. Hosting the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships is a great honor, and one that our university and the community take pride in. Some of the best athletes in the world will be running here in Terre Haute this fall."
 
Indiana State opens its season September 4 with a return trip to the Fighting Illini Invitational, hosted by Illinois. The Sycamores placed second on the women's side and fifth on the men's side in last season's edition, with the top six 4k women's marks in program history being set in that meet.
 
The Sycamores' first meet on their home course comes September 19 with the annual John McNichols Invitational. Both the men's and women's team finished in the top three last season at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course, while four Sycamores earned top-10 finishes in last season's meet.
 
Indiana State's lone split-squad weekend of the season will be October 2, with the Trees having a contingent at both the Joe Piane Invitational at Notre Dame and the Nike XC Town Twilight at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course. The Sycamores were seventh in the men's race and 15th in the women's championship race in last year's race.
 
The Blue and White play host to the top talent in the nation October 16, with teams traveling to the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course for the Under Armour Pre-National Invitational. Indiana State earned top-30 finishes on both the men's and women's side at pre-nationals last season while placing ahead of Power Four schools in both races.
 
Indiana State closes the month of October on the road, as the Sycamores travel to Des Moines, Iowa, for the 2026 MVC Cross Country Championships on October 30. Drake is the host for this season's conference championships, with Indiana State looking to build off back-to-back runner-up finishes on the women's side.
 
The 2026 NCAA Great Lakes Regional sees the Trees head north November 13, with Michigan State hosting the regional meet in East Lansing. Indiana State has placed in the top 10 on the women's side in each of the last two seasons, continuing its rise up the ranks, while the Sycamores will look to break back into the top half of the region on the men's side.
 
All eyes in the cross country world will descend on Terre Haute November 21, as Indiana State hosts the NCAA Cross Country National Championships for the 14th time in program history. The national championships return to the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course for the first time since 2019, with Indiana State being the most frequent host since the course opened in 1997. Indiana State previously hosted the championships in 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2019.
 
2026 Indiana State Cross Country Schedule
Sept. 4 – Fighting Illini Invitational (Savoy, Ill. / Orange and Blue Golf Course)
Sept. 19 – John McNichols Invitational (Terre Haute, Ind / LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course)
Oct. 2 – Joe Piane Invitational (South Bend, Ind. / Burke Golf Course)
Oct. 2 – Nike XC Town Twilight (Terre Haute, Ind. / LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course)
Oct. 16 – Under Armour Pre-National Invitational (Terre Haute, Ind. / LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course)
Oct. 30 – MVC Cross Country Championships (Des Moines, Iowa / A.H. Blank Golf Course)
Nov. 13 – NCAA Great Lakes Regional (East Lansing, Mich. / Forest Akers East Golf Course)
Nov. 21 – NCAA Cross Country Championships (Terre Haute, Ind. / LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course)
 
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