Pomona-Pitzer has been unanimously selected to extend its streak of five consecutive SCIAC Championships to six in the 2026 Men's Cross Country Preseason Poll, as voted on by the league's head coaches.
The Sagehens are coming off of a 2025 campaign in which they capture the conference title, NCAA West Regional Championship, and eighth place at the NCAA Division III Championship. Of that team, Pomona-Pitzer is returning four All-SCIAC performers in Peter Neid, Jefferson Wright, Ian Sharp, and Tiernan Colby. Wright was one of three All-Americans for the Sagehens last season after placing in 28th at Nationals, while Neid, Sharp, and Colby all finished inside of the top-15 at the 2025 SCIAC Championship.
Claremont-Mudd-Scripps showcased its young talent last season and will look to build upon that, as it has been picked to finish in second place in 2026. The Stags tallied seven finishers in the top-20 of the 2025 SCIAC Championship, of which five have returned. Notably, Brennan Tobin was named the Newcomer of the Year after recording the highest finish amongst first-years at ninth place. Rising juniors Jerry Xu, Jacob Pippel, Jonas Rickert, and Arnav Shetty are also in the mix for CMS after all earning All-SCIAC honors last season.
Redlands, Occidental, and La Verne each have one returning All-SCIAC performer, two of whom competed at the 2025 National Championship. Stian Asper of the Bulldogs and Jack Elfenbaum of the Tigers were both top-five finishers at the SCIAC Championship and earned a spot at Nationals. Finn McClure of the Leopards came in 12th of the Conference Championship, good for Second Team All-SCIAC.
The 2026 season will also feature Azusa Pacific University as it reclassifies from Division II to Division III, though the Cougars are not eligible for postseason competition.
2026 Men's Cross Country Preseason Poll
1. Pomona-Pitzer - 81 points (nine first-place votes)
2. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps - 72 points
3. Redlands - 55 points
4. Caltech - 51 points
5. La Verne - 48 points
6. Occidental - 39 points
7. Chapman - 30 points
8. Whittier - 15 points
9. California Lutheran - 12 points
Azusa Pacific*
* - Ineligible for SCIAC Championship as school transitions from Division II