Syracuse cross country gets a preview of late-November’s NCAA Championships at Terre Haute’s NCAA Pre-Nationals
By: Jack Knight | @Jack_On_Sports
Although Syracuse had nearly three weeks in between races dating all the way back to late-September’s Meadows Challenge at Princeton University. After a 2-1 record in their first month of the season, the Orange faced their toughest field of competition yet at Terre Haute’s NCAA Pre-Nationals.
The morning began with the women’s 6k. SU raced against eight other ACC schools. Two of those conference opponents, NC State and Notre Dame, are ranked in the top 10. The Wolfpack rank as the top team in the country, and the Fighting Irish are ranked seventh. The ‘Cuse faced another high-level field at the Meadows Challenge and placed fifth, but this was its toughest challenge yet. And for a group that has received votes in the rankings in back-to-back weeks, Terre Haute provided an excellent stage to earn it.
Facing six ranked squads is no easy task. Syracuse finished 12th overall at the NCAA Pre Nationals and the seventh-highest ACC team. The Orange ended the morning with 435 points, but the ‘Cuse received a strong boost from Keira Rogan once again. The sophomore came in 12th at 19:38.5, becoming the sixth-fastest finisher from the ACC. While SU’s next runner came outside of the top 75, Rogan’s impressive sophomore campaign continued even against the top competition in the country. While Rogan has set herself up with well-deserved hype for SU’s next trip to Terre Haute for the NCAA Championship, the ‘Cuse’s depth just didn’t stack up.
Just mere minutes after the women’s 6k, the men’s 8k started: a crucial race for a newly eighth-ranked Syracuse men’s team. The Orange climbed up one spot over their elongated bye week and are now the highest-ranked team in the conference, but that ranking truly got put to the test for the first time in their 2026 season in Indiana. SU raced against three other ranked squads (No. 14 Villanova, No. 15 Notre Dame, No. 29 North Carolina).
There were plenty of expectations on Brian Bell’s squad this morning, and Syracuse prevailed with a 115-127 victory over No. 14 Villanova. The Orange didn’t tally a single top-five finish for the first time this season, but their depth did the talking. SU had a trio of runners in the top 20, and six of its seven runners inside of the top 60. The Wildcats had stronger individual performances, but the top-to-bottom strength prevailed at the NCAA Pre-Nationals.
Syracuse isn’t done just yet today: the Orange’s men’s and women’s teams race just hours from now at the Princeton Fall Classic beginning at 5:00 p.m. Make sure to follow my X account, @Jack_On_Sports, for live updates and everything SU cross country.
