The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) has unveiled its 2026 Preseason National Cross Country Rankings and both New York University teams are featured prominently.

NYU's defending NCAA Division III National Champion women's team is a unanimous choice at the top of the preseason list, receiving all 10 first-place votes. The Violets return All-Americans Grace Rowley, Josephine Dziedzic, Ashlyn Pallotta, and Stella Kuttner.

Pallotta was also the individual champion as NYU captured the 2025 University Athletic Association (UAA) Championship.

The men's team enters the 2026 season ranked #3 in the preseason poll behind only defending champion University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and Johns Hopkins University.  

Leading the pack for the Violets will be Theodore Udelson-Nee, the 2025 UAA Champion and Rookie of the Year, and NCAA All-American. Also returning is Alex Hrycyszyn, who finished 44th at last year's NCAA Championship after earning All-Niagara Region honors.

"We are really excited about our momentum heading into the season," said Associate Head Coach Nic Jacobsen. "We return strong groups of All-Americans from last years' teams and have added some potential impact freshmen and transfers, as well. It will be fun to put all the pieces together as we begin our fall campaigns."

Both squads open their 2026 seasons at the Ron Stonitsch Invational at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, NY, on Saturday, September 12.