GRAND FORKS, N.D. – The 2026 cross country season officially kicks off for North Dakota this Friday as the Fighting Hawks are set to take on the Dragon Twilight in Moorhead, Minn.
 
Competition at Nemzek Stadium—hosted by Minnesota State-Moorhead—is set to begin for collegiate athletes at 8:10 p.m. with the women's Randy Smith 5000-meter race. The men's Fred Dahnke 6000-meter race will follow at 8:40 p.m. Live results of the meet will be provided by Hero's Timing while a live stream of the action will be available on Midco Sports Plus.
 
REGIONAL RANKINGS
In the August 31 preseason regional rankings, North Dakota cross country found itself represented by the Fighting Hawk women, who came in seventh in the Midwest poll.
 
PRESEASON PREVIEW
The Summit League released its 2026 Cross Country Preseason Coaches' Poll on Wednesday, September 2, placing North Dakota in the top two positions of each the men's and women's rankings.
 
UND finished atop the standings of the women's preseason poll with 47 total points and five first-place votes. South Dakota State followed in second place with 42 points and two first-place votes as North Dakota State took third with 39 points and the final first-place vote. Rounding out the remaining five spots, in order, were South Dakota, St. Thomas, Oral Roberts, Omaha and Kansas City.
 
The men's preseason poll featured North Dakota in second place with 32 points and two first-place votes. South Dakota State was first in the release with 35 points and five first-place votes as North Dakota State took third with 26 points. Rounding out the final four positions in the poll were Oral Roberts, South Dakota and St. Thomas all tied for fourth with 16 points as Kansas City was seventh with six points.
 
HAWKS TO WATCH
In the September 2 preseason conference release, North Dakota had four cross country runners honored as Preseason Athletes to Watch. Louis-Lys Fanucchi and Matej Hrebacka earned the distinction for the men as Marie-Louise Jorgensen and Shewaye Johnson were recognized for the women.
 
Fanucchi tallied three new personal bests during the cross country season in the 6k, 8k and 10k races. He also made waves during the conference championship meet as he finished third alongside a time of 23:58.8 for First Team All-Summit honors before taking 62^nd at the NCAA Midwest Regional in 32:23.5, both marking new PRs.
 
Hrebacka placed seventh at the Summit League Cross Country Championships in 24:01.2 to claim First Team All-Summit honors after clocking two new personal bests in the 6k and 8k during regular season competition. He then went on to lead UND in the NCAA Midwest Regional as he claimed 41^st place in 31:46.9.
 
The freshman season for Jorgensen saw her earn two total new personal bests in the 5k and 6k races before she secured a strong fifth-place showing at the conference meet after crossing the finish line in 20:45.4. Her finish gave her First Team All-Summit and Newcomer of the Championship honors before she took 79^th at the regional in 22:05.1.
 
Johnson's debut season at North Dakota saw a highlight performance at the conference championships when she finished fourth overall in a time of 20:25.5, earning First Team All-Summit distinction. She went on to be the second-highest placing Hawk at the Midwest Regional after taking 27^th in 21:07.8.
 
UP NEXT
The Fighting Hawks' next bout  of action will take place on Friday, September 25 as North Dakota competes in the Gans Creek Classic in Columbia, Mo.
 
For updates and more information on North Dakota cross country, follow on social media @UNDtrackfieldXC or visit FightingHawks.com.