Canyon, Texas. – No. 4 West Texas A&M Men's Cross Country and No. 7 Women's Cross Country close out their regular season on Saturday, October 17 as they compete in the Old Glory Gallop in Fort Worth, Texas. The Men's race (8K) will start at 8:15 a.m. while the Women's race (5K) begins at 9:15 a.m.
 
Follow The Buffs
Saturday's results will be posted on Track & Field Results Reporting System. More info on the meet can be found here.
 
Last Time Out
West Texas A&M traveled to Louisville, Kentucky two weeks ago as they competed in the Louisville Classic.
 
Keter Takes Title at Louisville Classic, No. 6 Buffs Win Meet- October 3, 2026
WT tallied a new season-low in points with 36 as they won their second straight meet. All seven Buffs finished in the top 23 with four in the top 10. Rounding out the top five would be No. 7 Lee (47), North Central (159), Cumberlands (160), and Western Kentucky (212).
 
Through the first 2.1k of the race, West Texas A&M found themselves in second place with Keter also being in second. He was a tenth of a second behind Pierre Chauveau of Lee for first. At the 3.9k split, WT closed what was a 34-point gap between them and Lee down to four points. Keter jumped into the lead with two-tenths of a second ahead of second place. By the 6k split, the Buffs had taken the lead for the first time in the event as they were now six points ahead of Lee for first. The Eldoret, Kenya native in Keter had grown his lead to 15 seconds while the rest of the Buffs held strong pacing to continue to climb the leaderboard. Keter held his lead the rest of the way and comfortably won the meet by nine seconds (23:33.4). Multiple Buffs made great pushes in the final stretches as Merlijn Van der Velden jumped from 8th at the 6k split to finish 5th (23:59.0). Diego Uribe moved from 12th to 9th (24:08.5) while Luca Minale finished 11th (24:11.7) after being in 16th at the 6k. Tommaso Toppi was the final Buff to score points as he stayed steady in the final 2k to finish 10th (24:08.9) after being in 9th.
 
No. 6 West Texas A&M at Louisville Classic (8k)
October 3, 2026 | 9:00 a.m. | Louisville, Kentucky | Tom Sawyer State Park
 
Team Score: 1st of 24 teams (36 points)
 
1. Meshack Keter- 23:33.4
5. Merlijn Van der Velden- 23:59.0
9. Diego Uribe- 24:08.5
10. Tommaso Toppi- 24:08.5
11. Luca Minale- 24.11.7
13. Vivien Delin- 24:13.9
23. Miles Cox- 24:29.2
 
No. 8 Lady Buffs Cruise to Victory at Louisville Classic with Season Low in Points- October 3, 2026
The Lady Buffs would accumulate a new season low in points with 34 to win the meet with four Lady Buffs finishing in the top seven. West Texas A&M would win by 66 points as No. 13 Lee (100) came in second and were followed by East Tennessee State (168), Marshall (189), and Xavier (198).
 
West Texas A&M led the race throughout as they went wire-to-wire for the win. Lola Sarthou and Michelle Jemutai finished second (17:08.7) and third (17:17.8) after holding those spots the entirety of the competition. Abigail Abugire climbed from 13th at the 2.1k split up to 5th at the 3.9k mark to grow the lead for WT. She would ultimately finish 4th (17:19.2). Naomi Addo held a great pace throughout as she stayed in the top seven for all of the race to come away with a 7th-place finish (17:27.9). Ella Schuettler was the final Lady Buff to score points as she finished 21st (18:06.7). Schuettler made great pushes throughout the race as she went from 42nd at the 2.1k split down to 31st at the 3.9k split to her final placing of 21st.
 
No. 8 West Texas A&M at Louisville Classic (5k)
October 3, 2026 | 9:45 a.m. | Louisville, Kentucky | Tom Sawyer State Park
 
Team Score: 1st of 24 teams (34 points)
 
2. Lola Sarthou- 17:08.7
3. Michelle Jemutai- 17:17.8
4. Abigail Abugire- 17:19.2
7. Naomi Addo- 17:27.9
21. Ella Schuettler- 18:06.7
40. Léa Navarro- 18:22.2
91. Isabella Celis- 19:05.0
 
National Name
With his title in Louisville behind a PR time of 23:33.4, freshman Meshack Keter would be named United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) National Athlete of the Week for the second time this season. Keter is the first Buff to ever win the award twice. The Eldoret, Kenya native would also be named LSC Men's Runner and Freshman of the Week for the second time.
 
Isn't It Sweep
Following the Texas Tech Open on September 18, West Texas A&M would sweep the Lone Star Conference (LSC) weekly awards as Meshack Keter and Michelle Jemutai would each be named LSC Runner and Freshman of the Week on the Men's and Women's side. This was the second time in program history where WT earned all four LSC weekly awards with the first time coming on October 6, 2021, with Innocent Murwanashyaka (Male Runner), Florance Uwajeneza (Female Runner), Gustavo Posada (Male Freshman), and Betty Bajika (Female Freshman).
 
Four Wanting More
In the latest USTFCCCA Poll, the Buffs held their No. 4 ranking for the second consecutive week. This is the first time since 2024 where the Men have been ranked inside the top four in consecutive weeks.
 
Lucky Seven
On the Women's side, the Lady Buffs moved up to No. 7 after being ranked No. 8 in every other poll. This is their highest ranking since 2025 when they were ranked No. 6.  
 
Dynamic Duo
With both programs being ranked inside the top seven, WT was one of five teams in the country to have earned that feat. They were joined by Wingate, Colorado School of Mines, Adams State, and Grand Valley State. This is the third time where both programs are ranked inside the top seven at a given point
 
LSC Preseason Poll
In the inaugural LSC Preseason Poll, the Buffs and Lady Buffs each claimed the top spot as they both look to extend their LSC Championships streaks. The men have won 13 consecutive LSC Titles dating back to 2013, while the women three-peated as LSC Champs last fall and eye their fourth straight title.  
 
2026 Preseason Poll (Men)
1          West Texas A&M (389 points, 25 first place votes)
2          DBU (357 points, two first place votes)
3          UT Tyler (322 points, one first place vote)
4          Oklahoma Christian (295 points)
5          Cameron (249 points)
6          Lubbock Christian (233 points)
7          UT Dallas (209 points)
8          St. Edward's (198 points)
9          Texas A&M International (166 points)
10        Western New Mexico (162 points)
11        Texas A&M-Kingsville (146 points)
12        Angelo State (106 points)
13        Eastern New Mexico (73 points)
14        Sul Ross State (35 points)
 
2026 LSC Preseason Poll (Women)
1          West Texas A&M (510 points, 30 first place votes)
2          UT Tyler (445 points)
3          DBU (444 points, one first place vote)
4          Midwestern State (428 points, one first place vote)
5          Oklahoma Christian (379 points)
6          Cameron (325 points)
7          St. Edward's (303 points)
8          Lubbock Christian (265 points)
9          Texas A&M International (249 points)
10        Western New Mexico (245 points)
11        Texas A&M-Kingsville (201 points)
12        UT Dallas (176 points)
13        Eastern New Mexico (138 points)
14        Angelo State (132 points)
15        UT Permian Basin (78 points)
16        Sul Ross State (35 points)
 
Runners to Watch
In the LSC Preseason Polls, Tommaso Toppi, Vivien Delin, Abigail Abugire, and Naomi Addo were named the four runners to watch for West Texas A&M.
 
Toppi begins his second season in the maroon and white in 2026. He posted a time of 24:58.7 to finish fourth at the LSC Championships as he would be named LSC Newcomer of the Year. The Passo Corese, Italy native would go on to finish 30th at Regionals and 131st at Nationals. Delin enters his first season with WT after transferring from Wingate. The Gilly Les Citeaux, France native did not compete in any cross country events for the Bulldogs in 2025 but took sixth in the 5000 at the South Atlantic Indoor Championships for track and field. He also placed 23rd in the 10k at the Bryan Clay Invitational.
 
The junior All-American duo of Abugire and Addo each enter their third seasons with WT. Abugire would take third at the LSC Championships behind a time of 21:37.5 as she earned All-LSC honors for the second straight season. Running an identical time of 21:37.5 at the South Central Regional Championships would lead to her placing 23rd and securing All-South Central Region honors. The Legon, Ghana native would secure All-American honors after placing 40th at Nationals. Addo also had a decorated 2025 as she was the Runner-Up at the LSC Championships as she posted a 21:04.8 time. She would go on to take sixth in the Region and earn All-South Central Region Honors for the second straight year. Addo would cross the finish line 28th in Kenosha, Wisconsin at Nationals to secure All-American honors for the second straight season. She would also be named LSC Runner of the Year.
 
New Faces from New Places
Across both programs, there will be 16 new runners competing for West Texas A&M (10 men, six women). On the men's side, Achille Bazantay, Miles Cox, Vivien Delin, Kaden Jenkins, Meshack Keter, Luca Minale, Lord Odonkor, Kyle Richard, Diego Uribe, and Merlijn Van der Velden will all be competing in the maroon and white for the first time. For the women, Glenda Escobar, Michelle Jemutai, Elaina McCulloch, Lea Navarro, Lola Sarthou, and Ella Schuettler all joined the program over the offseason.
 
Daniel Delivers
Head Coach Zach Daniel enters his fifth season at the helm of West Texas A&M Cross Country in the 2026 season. Under Daniel, WT has won seven LSC Championships (four men, three women) while finishing in the top six every year at South Central Region Championships for both the men and women. West Texas A&M has placed 15th or better at Nationals for both programs during his tenure.
 
The Field
Saturday's meet in Fort Worth will feature 57 total teams with five ranked programs. All LSC teams with the exception of Angelo State and UT Permian Basin will be competing.
 
The teams competing include Black Hill State (No. 21 Women), Blinn College, Butler Community College, Cameron, Community Christian College (Men), Cisco College (Women), Crowder Community College (Men), Dallas, DBU (No. 27 Women), Dallas Christian, Drury, East Central, Eastern New Mexico, Flowers Elite Cross Country, Hardin-Simmons, Hill College, Jacksonville College, LeTourneau, Lubbock Christian, McMurry, Mid-America Christian, Midwestern State (Women), Murray State, Nelson University, North American, North Central Texas College, Northwestern Oklahoma, Oklahoma Baptist (No. 30 Men), Oklahoma Christian, Oklahoma Wesleyan, Our Lady of the Lake, Prairie View, Ranger Community College, Schreiner, Seminole State College, Southeastern Oklahoma (Women), Southern Arkansas, Southern Nazarene, Southwestern, Southwestern Christian College (Men), Southwestern Oklahoma, St. Edward's, St. Thomas, Sul Ross State, Texas A&M-Kingsville, Texas A&M International, Texas Southmost College, Texas Wesleyan, Tilted Towers Track Club, Trinity, UA-Fort Smith, UNT-Dallas, UT Dallas, UT Tyler, West Texas A&M (No. 4 Men, No. 7 Women), Western New Mexico, and Western Texas College.  
 
For all the latest on West Texas A&M Cross Country, stay tuned to gobuffsgo.com and follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.