University of Wisconsin–Madison to host 2026 Big Ten Cross Country Championships

The University of Wisconsin–Madison will host the 2026 Big Ten Cross Country Championships at the Thomas Zimmer Championship Cross Country Course on Friday, October 30. The event will feature 18 teams from across the conference, including student-athletes from Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Ohio State, Oregon, Purdue, Rutgers, UCLA, USC, Washington, and Wisconsin.

The women’s 6K race is scheduled to begin at 10:35 a.m. CST, followed by the men’s 8K race at 11:35 a.m. CST. All races will be streamed on the Big Ten Network (BTN).

In the 2025 championships held at Michigan State University, Oregon secured both the men’s and women’s titles. Nebraska enters the 2026 season looking to improve upon previous finishes, while Penn State seeks to build on its 2025 performance where the women finished second overall.