Wisconsin Badgers
John McNichols Invitational
Five Things to Know: No. 10 Badgers take first road trip of 2026 season
September 16, 2026 | Men's Cross Country
UW heads to Terre Haute for the John McNichols Invitational
MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin men's cross country team will continue its season on Saturday with the John McNichols Invitational, hosted by Indiana State. The meet will be a preview of the 2026 NCAA Cross Country Championship course.
The women's 6K Championship will begin at 7:30 a.m. CT, and the men's 8K Championship will run at 8:05 a.m. The women's 6K Open will follow at 8:40 a.m., and the men's 8K Open will start at 9:05 a.m.
Live results will be posted on Midwest Timing and streamed live on Runnerspace. Fans can also follow along for updates on the @BadgerTrackXC Instagram and X accounts.
1. NATIONALS PREVIEW: The John McNichols Invitational, hosted at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course, previews this year's NCAA Cross Country Championship in Terre Haute, Ind. It is the first time Wisconsin returns to Terre Haute since the 2022 NCAA Great Lakes Regional.
2. TOP TEAMS: The No. 10 Badgers line up against a competitive field featuring 12 teams in the top 25 of the USTFCCCA rankings. The list includes teams such as No. 6 Colorado, No. 7 Northern Arizona, No. 9 BYU, No. 11 Washington State and No. 12 Eastern Kentucky.
3. HISTORY BOOKS: The Badgers have had historic success in Terre Haute, including a men's championship team title in 2011 and another title in 2005, the latter featuring a third-place finish for current Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Chris Solinsky.
4. LAST TIME OUT: Wisconsin performed well in their first meet of the season, with a perfect 15-point sweep at the Badger Classic despite the absence of multiple key runners. Freshman Grady Lenn won the race in his first ever outing, with a time of 25 minutes, 11.4 seconds in the 8K competition. For his efforts, Lenn was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week.
5. UP NEXT: The Badgers will head to Chicago for the Sean Earl Lakefront Invitational, hosted by Loyola, on Friday, Sept. 25.
