Men's and Women's Cross Country Announce 2026 Schedule
7/14/2026 2:00:00 PM | Cross Country, Women's Cross Country
JACKSONVILLE – The Jax State Cross Country program announced its men's and women's schedule for the 2026 season on Tuesday. The upcoming slate features five regular season meets with three of which being in-state.
Everyone is excited to be back together as a team and hit the ground running, head coach Jeremy Provence said. The schedule provides opportunities to compete at high-level meets, but most importantly, I believe it prepares us for postseason success.
The Gamecocks kick off the season by hosting the first two in-state meets of the schedule, including the Foothills Invitational at Choccolocco Park on Sept. 4 to open the season. The men's 5k is set to begin at 9 a.m., with the women's 5k to follow at 9:40 a.m. Last season, the men's squad won the 2025 rendition of the meet for its second straight win at the Foothills Invitational, while the women placed second.
Opening the season on our home course is a great way to kick off the competition season, Provence said. The men are looking to continue the winning streak while the women try to earn the victory for the first time in several years. It will be a fun, competitive experience to kick off the season.
Jax State will stay close to home for the next contest on the schedule, traveling up to Huntsville for the Southern Showcase on Sept. 18. The men's team will kick off the action with an 8k at 7:30 a.m., trailed by the women's 5k at 8:20 a.m.
The Southern Showcase will once again provide elite competition, Provence said. It also serves as a preview of our conference championship. This has served as an early test for both groups, so we have this one circled on the calendar.
Jax State will then take a trip up to Memphis, Tenn. for the Christian Brothers Invitational on Oct. 3, followed by the FSU Invitational on Oct. 9 in Tallahassee, Fla. The women's 5k will begin at 7:40 a.m. and the men's 8k will follow at 8:20 a.m.
The FSU Invitational will provide another tough challenge for the team, Provence said. With the South Region Championship being help on this course in November, I expect we will face several regional opponents. The host site, Apalachee Regional Park, is a world-class facility, so we are excited to have the opportunity to compete at a venue like this.
The Gamecocks will wrap up the regular season on Oct. 16 at the Kennemer Classic in Florence, Ala., hosted by North Alabama.
The postseason will begin on Halloween for Jax State as the Conference USA Championship will take place in Huntsville on Oct. 31. Last season, the men placed third in the conference championship, with the women finishing in seventh.
Both squads will then travel back down to Tallahassee for the South Region Championship on Nov. 14. Lastly, the season will conclude on Nov. 21 for the NCAA Championships at Terre Haute, Ind.
