It’s summer, we’re almost a month out from the first day of Cross Country; so, you know what that means. It’s time for our Preseason Rankings. What makes Cross Country special, and the most anticipated of our three sports, is that we’re coming off a two-month break. A lot can happen in that time, which allows for even more speculation. That’s where we come in.
However, the summer break and upcoming return are just as exciting for the athletes as well. Summer miles are built on patience, but their also fueled by dreams. Everyone enters September with goals and aspirations ranging from making their team’s top seven to winning their first state title. July and August allow athletes to build on the success they had last season. But they also allow for a reset for anyone dealing with injuries and other challenges that come with such a demanding sport. Every fall there’s individuals and entire teams that seem to come out of nowhere and shock everyone.
So, to help count down the days until the first week of the season, we’re bringing back our preseason rankings. As we put our lists together, we put the strongest emphasis on cross country performance. That said we do consider track times as well, especially where athletes made marked improvements from Fall 25 to Spring 26.
