La Crosse, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse men's cross country team is set to compete at the 2026 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Championship (presented by Culver's) Saturday, October 31st. The 65th annual championship race, hosted by UW-Whitewater on its campus course in Whitewater, Wis. is scheduled for 1 p.m.
Eagle history at the WIAC Cross Country Championships
- The top seven runners in the 8,000-meter race will receive All-WIAC first team recognition, while runners placing eighth through 14th earn All-WIAC second team accolades. Individuals finishing 15th through 21st claim honorable mention status.
- UWL is striving for its 41st league championship in program history and ninth straight after winning the 2025 title with 24 points. The Eagles' 40 WIAC titles are the most in league history.
- The Eagles (24 points) finished ahead of second-place UW-Platteville (77 points) at last season's WIAC Championships. UW-Stevens Point took third (87), UW-Whitewater fourth (123), UW-Oshkosh fifth (123), UW-Eau Claire sixth (135), UW-River Falls seventh (195) and UW-Stout Polytechnic eighth (211).
- Two programs are ranked in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III based on Oct. 21 rankings distributed by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. UWL, two-time defending NCAA III champion, is ranked fifth, while UW-Stevens Point is sixth.
- All eight WIAC teams will participate in the NCAA Division III North Regional on Saturday, November 14 at St. Olaf Cross Country Course in Northfield, Minn. The NCAA Division III Championships are set for Saturday, November 21 at Bill Huyck Championship Course in Northfield, Minn.
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Eagles at the 2026 WIAC Championships
- UWL returns three runners with WIAC All-Conference honors in Will Aurit, Chuck Vater and Owen Clark. Aurit finished 13th at the 2024 championships to earn second team honors. Vater finished 14th in 2024 to earn second team honors and sixth in 2025 to earn first team accolades. Clark was 19th in 2024 and 15th in 2025 to earn back-to-back second team All-Conference recognition.
- Owen Layton (28th) and Isaac Ewing (57th) join Aurit, Vater and Clark as returning Eagles with WIAC Championship race experience. Layton finished 28th and Ewing 57th at last year's championships.
- Also joining these five at this year's championships will be Chase Altergott, Declan Gregg, Riley Huss, Kyle Johnson, Thomas Menefee, Alec Taylor and Ben Weston.
Derek Stanley
- Stanley is in his 15th season as UWL's men's and women's head coach.
- Under Stanley's direction, the Eagles have won 10 WIAC championships (2012-13, 2017-19, 2021-2025).
- Stanley led the Eagles to back-to-back (2024 and 2025) NCAA III Championships. Along with the national titles in 2024 and 2025, UWL has recorded seven top-four finishes at the NCAA Division III Championships under Stanley. The Eagles were second in 2017 and 2023, third in 2013, 2014 and 2018 and fourth in 2012.
- He was voted the 2024 and 2025 U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Association (USTFCCCA) NCAA Division III Coach of the Year.
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