Oklahoma State Cross Country Sets Path for National Championship Defense

The Oklahoma State Cowboys and Cowgirls have set their schedule for the 2026 season as the Cowboys attempt to defend their national crown.

Oklahoma State Cowboys logo. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Oklahoma State Cowboys hope to defend their national championship in cross country while the Cowgirls seek a better finish than a year ago.

In the hopes of getting back to the NCAA Championships, the Cowboys and the Cowgirls won’t have to leave Stillwater until the start of NCAA action.

Oklahoma State announced its cross-country schedule on Monday, and it included four meets before NCAA Championship action begins. All four are in Stillwater at the Greiner Family OSU Cross Country Course — including the Big 12 Championships, which make their return to the course after a five-year absence.

Oklahoma State’s Cross Country Schedule

The schedule is set 📆

The Greiner Family OSU Cross Country Course will play host to the Big 12 Championships on 𝑯𝑨𝑳𝑳𝑶𝑾𝑬𝑬𝑵 this season!#GoPokes I #run4okstate pic.twitter.com/RhxVoQsA9B

— Oklahoma State XC/T&F (@run4okstate) July 27, 2026

The Cowboys and the Cowgirls won’t start the season until September, and the first meet is an exhibition on Sept. 5, the Cowboy Preview. The exhibition is a precursor to the program’s traditional Cowboy Jamboree, which marks the start of the regular season on Sept. 26. It will be the 88th time the school has hosted the event. Between the Cowboys and the Cowgirls, they’ve taken the men’s and women’s podium in a sweep four times in the last five years.

After a break, the two teams host another meet, the Weis-Crockett Invitational, on Oct. 17. That sets up the Big 12 Championships on Oct. 31.

From that point it’s all about a national championship. OSU would go to the NCAA Midwest Regional on Nov. 13, hosted by Iowa State. Just eight days later, the programs would go to the NCAA Championships in Terre Haute, Ind.

There’s a good chance both programs will be there. The Cowboys won their sixth national title in 2025 and return a pair of three-time All-Americans in Denis Kipngetich and Brian Musau. Each have place in the Top 11 in the NCAA Championships in each of the last three years. Another All-American from last season, Adisu Guadie, who finished in 12th place at NCAAs.

The Cowboys had all five scoring runners finish in the top 35, including three in the top six, and finished with a total of 57 points. They blew away New Mexico, the second-place team, by 25 points. Third-place Iowa State was 101 points back.

The Cowgirls were No. 12 at last year’s NCAA Championships. OSU returns 2023 All-American Billah Jepkirui. She is a previous Cowboy Jamboree and NCAA Midwest regional champion.