KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Montreat College men's cross country team competed at the 2026 Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Cross Country Championships on Friday morning in Knoxville, Tenn.
Ryan Stade led all runners across the finish line at Sequoyah Park, and the Cavaliers claimed runner-up status among the 13-squad field.
Milligan University won its eighth straight team title with a 20-point showing. The Cavs totaled 48 points during the meet, while Reinhardt University concluded third overall with 101 points.
A native of Marysville, Kan., Stade became the first Montreat College men's cross country student-athlete to win the AAC Championship meet twice. The winner of last year's event, Stade repeated his title feat with a personal-best effort of 24:15.63. Running more than 25 seconds faster than the race's runner-up, Stade left Knoxville with a trio of individual honors: AAC Men's Cross Country Champion, AAC Men's Cross Country Runner of the Year and First Team All-AAC.
Freshman
Angel Cruz left his mark in his AAC Championships debut, ending seventh among a 113-competitor field. The Cape Coral, Fla., native needed just 25:14.53 to complete his 8k. Cruz's performance resulted in being named the AAC Men's Cross Country Freshman of the Year, as well as being placed on the All-AAC First Team and the AAC All-Freshman Team.
Ronald Way and
Elijah Eppley registered Second Team All-AAC recognition by placing inside the meet's top 14. The former wrapped up his race in 25:45.46, while the latter closed out his run in 25:55.05. Way and Eppley finished 12
th and 14
th, respectively.
Hunter Smathers concluded Montreat's scoring effort at the AAC Cross Country Championships. The senior delivered the 18
th-quickest time at 26:25.41.
Johann Brink garnered an AAC All-Freshman Team selection with his top-25 showing on Friday. The newcomer finished 21
st at the meet, crossing the line in 26:39.30. Freshman
Conner Ford set a personal-best during his 8k, running to a 28:02.01 time to place 44
th.
For a look at results from the 2026 AAC Cross Country Championships, click
here.
The Montreat College men's cross country team now turns its attention toward the NAIA Cross Country Championships, which are slated for Friday, Nov. 20, at Fort Vancouver National Historic Site in Vancouver, Wash.
