John Carroll Captures Second Straight NCAC Men's Cross Country Title

OBERLIN, OH – John Carroll collected the 2026 North Coast Athletic Conference Men’s Cross Country Championship on Saturday, October 31, in Oberlin, Ohio. The Blue Streaks finished with 36 points to claim their second consecutive NCAC men’s cross country title.
 
Denison finished runner-up with 68 points, followed by DePauw in third with 93 points. Kenyon (100) placed fourth, while Oberlin (140) was fifth, Wabash (161) was sixth, Wittenberg (167) was seventh, Ohio Wesleyan (209) was eighth and Wooster (232) was ninth.
 
After a runner-up showing in 2025, John Carroll junior Sam Su (Akron, OH/Woodridge) earned the 2026 NCAC Men’s Cross Country Runner of the Year honor, pacing the field by nearly 15 seconds with a 24:37.8 finish.
 
Wittenberg senior Lukas Rieben (Clayton, OH/Northmont) earned his second all-conference certificate with a runner-up finish in 24:52.3, while Denison sophomore William Jackson (Wayland, MA/Wayland) placed third in 25:04.9, improving 11 spots from last season. Wabash sophomore Sam Vaught (Indianapolis, IN/Roncalli) took fourth in 25:10.3 to capture the 2026 NCAC Men's Newcomer of the Year honor after posting the top individual finish by a student-athlete in their first year of collegiate competition. John Carroll junior Joey Naiman (Tallmadge, OH/Tallmadge) crossed in 25:12.1 for fifth, jumping up 15 spots from a season ago, while Oberlin senior Piers Shirk (University Place, WA/Curtis Senior) collected his second first-team honor with a sixth-place finish in 25:20.7. Kenyon sophomore Noah Berg (Zionsville, IN/Zionsville Community) rounded out the top seven in 25:27.0 to earn his first All-NCAC award.
 
John Carroll also claimed 2026 Coaching Staff of the Year honors, the second NCAC coaching award in program history. The Blue Streaks are led by Head Coach Steve Fuelling, Director of Cross Country/Track & Field Daniel Tutskey, assistant coach Jamie Dailey and volunteer assistant coach Bryce Basista.
 

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