Liberty swept the 2024 CUSA men's and women's cross country team titles.
Liberty Men’s & Women’s XC Tabbed as CUSA Favorites
8/28/2025 1:03:00 PM | Cross Country
LYNCHBURG, Va. – Liberty is favored to successfully defend its men's and women's team titles from 2024, according to the CUSA Men's and Women's Cross Country preseason polls announced on Thursday. The Liberty men's squad tied for first place with Middle Tennessee, while the Lady Flames finished a clear first in the voting conducted by the conference's head coaches.
Last season, Liberty edged Middle Tennessee by two points to capture its first men's cross country conference crown since 2013. A tight battle between the same two teams is anticipated this year, with both squads totaling 76 points. The Blue Raiders earned six first-place votes to the Flames' four.
Coach Isaac Wendland's men's team returns a trio of All-CUSA performers from 2024, including Tristian Merchant (third place), Nicholas Kiprotich (seventh) and Andrew Schultz (20th). Edwin Kiprop is also back in action after the two-time CUSA Freshman of the Week's rookie season was cut short due to injury.
Coming off the largest margin of victory (66 points) in CUSA history in 2024, the Lady Flames earned nine of 12 first-place votes and 119 total points in the women's poll. Middle Tennessee took second with three first-place nods and 110 points. Conference newcomers Delaware (66 points) and Missouri State (52 points) finished sixth and eighth, respectively, among 12 women's squads.
Five of the top 14 finishers from the 2024 CUSA meet are part of this year's Liberty women's roster under Coach Heather Zealand. These include Allie Zealand (third place), Isabela Ross (sixth), Ava Gordon (ninth), Molly Lashley (13th) and Katrina Schlenker (14th).
The Flames and Lady Flames will open the 2025 campaign on Friday, playing host to the Liberty Challenge at their home course adjacent to the Liberty Indoor Track Complex. The meet, which will also feature runners from Lynchburg and Radford, will include a women's 4K at 6:30 p.m. and a men's 6K at 7:15.
The 2025 CUSA Cross Country Championships will take place on Nov. 1 at John Hunt Park in Huntsville, Ala.
2025 CUSA Men's Cross Country Preseason Poll
1T) Middle Tennessee (6 first-place votes) – 76 points
1T) Liberty (4) – 76
3) Kennesaw State – 62
4) Jacksonville State – 55
5) New Mexico State – 48
6) Sam Houston – 39
7) UTEP – 34
8) WKU – 30
9) FIU – 18
10) LA Tech – 9
2025 CUSA Women's Cross Country Preseason Poll
1) Liberty (9 first-place votes) – 119
2) Middle Tennessee (3) – 110
3) Kennesaw State – 100
4) New Mexico State – 87
5) FIU – 76
6) Delaware – 66
7) Jacksonville State – 60
8) Missouri State – 52
9) UTEP – 43
10) WKU – 37
11) Sam Houston – 31
12) LA Tech – 11
Last season, Liberty edged Middle Tennessee by two points to capture its first men's cross country conference crown since 2013. A tight battle between the same two teams is anticipated this year, with both squads totaling 76 points. The Blue Raiders earned six first-place votes to the Flames' four.
Coach Isaac Wendland's men's team returns a trio of All-CUSA performers from 2024, including Tristian Merchant (third place), Nicholas Kiprotich (seventh) and Andrew Schultz (20th). Edwin Kiprop is also back in action after the two-time CUSA Freshman of the Week's rookie season was cut short due to injury.
Coming off the largest margin of victory (66 points) in CUSA history in 2024, the Lady Flames earned nine of 12 first-place votes and 119 total points in the women's poll. Middle Tennessee took second with three first-place nods and 110 points. Conference newcomers Delaware (66 points) and Missouri State (52 points) finished sixth and eighth, respectively, among 12 women's squads.
Five of the top 14 finishers from the 2024 CUSA meet are part of this year's Liberty women's roster under Coach Heather Zealand. These include Allie Zealand (third place), Isabela Ross (sixth), Ava Gordon (ninth), Molly Lashley (13th) and Katrina Schlenker (14th).
The Flames and Lady Flames will open the 2025 campaign on Friday, playing host to the Liberty Challenge at their home course adjacent to the Liberty Indoor Track Complex. The meet, which will also feature runners from Lynchburg and Radford, will include a women's 4K at 6:30 p.m. and a men's 6K at 7:15.
The 2025 CUSA Cross Country Championships will take place on Nov. 1 at John Hunt Park in Huntsville, Ala.
2025 CUSA Men's Cross Country Preseason Poll
1T) Middle Tennessee (6 first-place votes) – 76 points
1T) Liberty (4) – 76
3) Kennesaw State – 62
4) Jacksonville State – 55
5) New Mexico State – 48
6) Sam Houston – 39
7) UTEP – 34
8) WKU – 30
9) FIU – 18
10) LA Tech – 9
2025 CUSA Women's Cross Country Preseason Poll
1) Liberty (9 first-place votes) – 119
2) Middle Tennessee (3) – 110
3) Kennesaw State – 100
4) New Mexico State – 87
5) FIU – 76
6) Delaware – 66
7) Jacksonville State – 60
8) Missouri State – 52
9) UTEP – 43
10) WKU – 37
11) Sam Houston – 31
12) LA Tech – 11
Players Mentioned
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