Louisville Cross Country To Kick Off Season at John McNichols Invitational
September 18, 2026 | Cross Country
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The University of Louisville cross country teams begin the 2026 season on Saturday morning, Sept. 20 in Terre Haute, Ind. at the John McNichols Invitational.
The meet will take place at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course. It will begin with the women's 6K championship at 8:30 a.m., followed by the men's 8k championship at 9:05 a.m.
Louisville is one of 47 programs participating in this weekend's meet, which is hosted by Indiana State University. The Cards will be going up against multiple nationally ranked programs, including Air Force, Butler, BYU, California Baptist, Colorado, Eastern Kentucky, Florida, Georgia, Harvard, Michigan State, Northern Arizona, Washington State, and Wisconsin.
Louisville's men's team will be led by sophomore Elsingi Kipruto, who finished his freshman cross country season as the 2025 ACC Men's Cross Country Freshman of the Year and a 2025 Men's Cross Country All American.
On the women's side, the Cards will be led by junior Nancy Chepleting. The Eldoret, Kenya native finished 47th overall at the 2025 ACC Cross Country Championships and was a consistent top finisher for the Cardinals.
Louisville welcomes seven newcomers to the cross country roster, including sophomore Nickson Kogei. Kogei joins the team as a transfer from Cincinnati who finished his freshman season with an 18th place finish at the 2025 NCAA Cross Country Championships.
For the latest information on Louisville Cross Country/Track & Field, visit GoCards.com or follow the team's Instagram and X accounts at @louisvilletfxc or on Facebook at facebook.com/LouisvilleTFXC.
