RICHARDSON, TEXAS. – West Texas A&M Men's Cross Country claimed the top spot in the Lone Star Conference (LSC) Preseason Poll as announced by the league office Monday afternoon. Graduate student Tommaso Toppi and sophomore Vivien Delin were named the Runners to Watch for the Buffs.
 
The LSC Preseason Poll is voted on by LSC head coaches, sports information directors and media members. West Texas A&M accumulated 389 points with 25 of a possible 28 first place votes to sit at the top.
 
2026 Preseason Poll
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 saw the Buffs extend their LSC Championship streak as they won their 13th straight title. They finished with 20 points which was their third lowest mark all-time. Five Buffs would finish in the top 15 to earn All-LSC Honors. WT would go on to place fifth at the South Central Regional Championship with two All-Region Runners and 14th at Nationals with two All-Americans.
 
Head Coach Zach Daniel will be at the helm for West Texas A&M as he enters his fifth season. During his four-year tenure, Daniel and the Buffs have won the LSC Championship every year while also being named Coach of the Year.
 
Graduate student Tommaso Toppi and sophomore Vivien Delin were named the two Runners to Watch for West Texas A&M. Toppi begins his second season in maroon 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.
 
Notable returners for the Buffs will be seniors Jordan Purcell and Adrian Solis. Purcell placed 64th at the LSC Championships last season while took 40th.
 
2026 will see a plethora of fresh faces with the addition of transfers Miles Cox (Houston), Luca Minale (San Franscico), and Lord Odonkor (Alabama State). Rounding out the roster will be junior Achille Bazantay, freshman Kaden Jenkins, junior Lane Kenney, freshman Kyle Richards, senior Tobias Ritter, and juniors Diego Uribe Troncoso and Merlijn Van Der Velden.
 
The Buffs are set to begin their 2026 season on September 18 in Lubbock, Texas as they compete in the Texas Tech Open.
 
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.