Canyon, Texas. – No. 8 West Texas A&M Men's and No. 8 Women's Cross Country are both set to open their season this weekend as they compete in the Texas Tech Open on Friday, September 18 in Lubbock, Texas. The Men's race (8K) is slated to begin at 8:15 a.m. while the Women's race (6K) will start at 8:50 a.m.
 
Follow The Buffs
Live results will be provided by NTX Timing.
 
The Field
Friday's meet will feature a total of 22 teams competing across the men's and women's race with seven Lone Star Conference (LSC) teams and five ranked teams.
 
The teams competing include Amarillo College, Angelo State, Colorado Christian (No. 12 men), Eastern New Mexico, ENMU Ruidoso, Fort Lewis (No. 14 men, No. 17 women), Lubbock Christian, McMurry, New Mexico Highlands, New Mexico JC, New Mexico Military Institute, Odessa, South Plains, Southwest, Sul Ross State, Texas Tech, Texas Wesleyan, UT-Permian Basin, Wayland Baptist, West Texas A&M (No. 8 men, No. 8 women), Western New Mexico, and Western Texas College.
 
The Great Eight
Coming into this season, West Texas A&M was ranked No. 8 in the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Preseason Poll on both the men's and women's side. This was the fifth straight season where both programs were ranked to start the season and second consecutive year where both were ranked inside the top 10 to begin the year. For both programs, this was their second (or tied for) highest ranking to begin a season with the Buffs coming in at No. 8 to start last year while the Lady Buffs took the No. 2 spot in 2025. WT was one of seven teams to have both their men's and women's program ranked inside the top 10 in the preseason poll.
 
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, Léa 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.
 
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.