The NCAA cross country conference championship weekend brought Irish athletes to start lines across the United States on Friday October 30th and Saturday October 31st, as the 2026 collegiate cross country season entered its championship phase.
From established team scorers to runners experiencing their first conference championships, here is how the Irish contingent got on and what their performances meant for their universities.
Coogan and Duffy Score as Iona Take Both Titles
Billy Coogan of Kilkenny City Harriers and Muireann Duffy of Clonmel AC both scored for Iona University at the Metro Conference Championships in Middletown, New York, on Saturday October 31st.
Coogan finished fourth in the men’s 8km in 24:56.8, contributing four points as Iona recorded the lowest possible team score of 15. The university filled the first seven places and finished 55 points clear of Marist, securing its 36th consecutive men’s conference title.
Sean Lawton of Durrus AC placed 21st in 25:49.8. He was Iona’s 11th finisher, outside the five scoring positions.
Duffy finished sixth in the women’s 6km in 21:45.1 and was Iona’s fourth scorer. Iona won with 23 points, ahead of Quinnipiac on 67, claiming its first women’s conference title since 2021.
Full Metro Conference Championships Results
Gardiner Helps Providence End Big East Wait
Anna Gardiner of East Down AC finished fifth in the women’s 6km at the Big East Championships in Mechanicsville, Virginia, on Friday October 30th.
The Providence College athlete clocked 19:55.1 and was the university’s second scorer. Providence won with 36 points, eight clear of Villanova, securing its first women’s Big East title since 2016.
Providence team mate Lorraine O’Connor of Clonliffe Harriers finished 66th in 22:40.4. She was the university’s tenth finisher, outside the scoring five.
Cormac Dixon of Tallaght AC led the Providence men, finishing fifth over 8km in 23:27.2. His five points helped Providence take third with 76, behind Georgetown on 33 and Villanova on 40.
Liam McCay of Finn Valley AC finished 46th in 25:16.1 and was Providence’s ninth runner home.
Villanova University’s Jack Fenlon of St Abban’s AC placed 17th in 24:08.7, while team mate Caolan McFadden of Cranford AC finished 55th in 25:36.7. They were seventh and tenth respectively for Villanova, outside its scoring five.
Fagan Scores in Loyola’s Atlantic 10 Victory
Scott Fagan of Metro/St Brigid’s AC helped Loyola University Chicago win the Atlantic 10 men’s title at Pole Green Park in Mechanicsville, Virginia, on Saturday October 31st.
Fagan finished seventh in the men’s 8km in 23:52.9 and was Loyola’s third scorer. The university won with 38 points, ahead of Saint Joseph’s on 66.
Seán Cronin of Clonliffe Harriers finished 44th for La Salle University in 24:52.3. He was La Salle’s fourth scorer, contributing 43 points to a total of 151 as the university placed seventh.
Full Atlantic 10 Championships Results
Buchanan First Home for Illinois at Big Ten Championships
Frank Buchanan of CNDR Track Club led the University of Illinois at the Big Ten Championships in Madison, Wisconsin, on Friday October 30th.
Buchanan finished 15th in the men’s 8km in 23:25.0, supplying Illinois’ lowest individual score as the university placed eighth with 271 points.
Cillian Gleeson of Celbridge AC finished 46th for the University of Wisconsin in 24:03.8. He was Wisconsin’s sixth finisher, just outside the scoring five, as the hosts took second with 62 points behind Oregon on 23.
In the women’s 6km, Ailish Hawkins of Dublin City Harriers placed 54th for UCLA in 20:55.9. She was UCLA’s fourth scorer, helping the university finish eighth with 232 points.
Full Big Ten Championships Results
Moloney and McCarthy Score as McNeese Take Third
Diarmuid Moloney of Nenagh Olympic AC and Ryan McCarthy of Leevale AC finished 13th and 14th for McNeese State University at the Southland Championships in Lake Charles, Louisiana, on Friday October 30th.
Moloney clocked 24:25.0 over 8km, with McCarthy following in 24:27.1. They were McNeese’s second and third scorers as the university placed third with 75 points.
In the women’s 6km, Elsa Moore of Lifford Strabane AC finished 41st in 22:29.9, contributing 40 points as McNeese’s third scorer.
Maria Murnane of Killarney Valley AC placed 57th in 23:14.5 and was McNeese’s sixth finisher, outside the scoring five. The women finished seventh with 148 points.
Full Southland Championships Results
Casey Places 18th as Colorado Win Big 12 Title
Dean Casey of Ennis Track AC finished 18th for the University of Colorado at the Big 12 Championships in Stillwater, Oklahoma, on Saturday October 31st.
Casey completed the men’s 8km in 23:43.4 and was Colorado’s eighth finisher. Although outside the scoring five, he was part of a squad that won with 36 points, just two ahead of Oklahoma State.
Colin Smith of Mullingar Harriers placed 91st for Arizona State University in 26:24.5. He was the university’s sixth finisher, outside the scoring five, as Arizona State took seventh with 224 points.
Full Big 12 Championships Results
McCarroll in Bradley Squad That Takes Missouri Valley Title
Eimear McCarroll of Finn Valley AC finished 15th for Bradley University at the Missouri Valley Championships in Des Moines, Iowa, on Friday October 30th.
McCarroll recorded 20:46.8 in the women’s 6km and was Bradley’s seventh finisher, outside the scoring five.
Bradley’s scorers occupied first, second, fourth, fifth and seventh, giving the university a winning total of 19 points. Illinois State finished second with 67. Meet Results
Full Missouri Valley Championships Results
Dinan and Brosnan Score at ACC Championships
Nicole Dinan of Leevale AC was Florida State University’s third scorer at the Atlantic Coast Conference Championships in Blacksburg, Virginia, on Friday October 30th.
Dinan finished 35th in the women’s 6km in 20:03.3. Florida State placed ninth with 221 points.
Shane Brosnan of An Ríocht AC finished 54th for the University of Virginia in the men’s 8km in 23:44.4. He was Virginia’s fourth scorer, contributing 52 points as the university also finished ninth, with 248.
Full ACC Championships Results
McIntyre Scores for Little Rock at UAC Championships
Nadine McIntyre of Finn Valley AC finished 19th for the University of Arkansas at Little Rock at the United Athletic Conference Championships in Richmond, Kentucky, on Friday October 30th.
McIntyre completed the women’s 5km in 18:56.3 and was Little Rock’s second scorer. Her 19 points contributed to a team total of 160 as the university finished sixth.
Full UAC Championships Results
Thornton Leads Dartmouth at Ivy League Championships
Emmy Thornton of Willowfield Harriers was Dartmouth College’s first finisher at the Ivy League Championships in Attleboro, Massachusetts, on Saturday October 31st.
Thornton placed 27th in the women’s 6km in 21:21.7. Her finish counted for 26 points in the team scoring, with Dartmouth taking seventh on 191. Meet Results
Full Ivy League Championships Results
Bradley Competes for Queens at ASUN Championships
Sarah Bradley of Finn Valley AC finished 59th for Queens University of Charlotte at the ASUN Championships in Richmond, Kentucky, on Friday October 30th.
Bradley completed the women’s 5km in 21:14.7 and was Queens’ eighth finisher, outside the scoring five. Queens finished sixth with 155 points, while Lipscomb won with a perfect score of 15.
Full ASUN Championships Results
Donoghue Races for Ole Miss at SEC Championships
Seán Donoghue of Dublin City Harriers finished 94th for the University of Mississippi at the Southeastern Conference Championships in Columbia, Missouri, on Friday October 30th.
Donoghue recorded 25:47.3 in the men’s 8km and was the tenth Ole Miss finisher, outside the scoring five. The university placed sixth with 187 points.
Full SEC Championships Results
Nestor Represents Rice at American Conference Championships
Susie Nestor of UCD AC finished 80th for Rice University at the American Conference Championships in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Saturday October 31st.
Nestor completed the women’s 6km in 23:35.4 and was Rice’s ninth finisher, outside the scoring five. Rice placed eighth with 228 points.
Full American Conference Championships Results
Full Irish Athlete Results
Big East Championships, Friday October 30th
Women’s 6km
- Anna Gardiner - Providence College (East Down AC) - 5th - 19:55.1
- Lorraine O’Connor - Providence College (Clonliffe Harriers) - 66th - 22:40.4
Men’s 8km
- Cormac Dixon - Providence College (Tallaght AC) - 5th - 23:27.2
- Jack Fenlon - Villanova University (St Abban’s AC) - 17th - 24:08.7
- Liam McCay - Providence College (Finn Valley AC) - 46th - 25:16.1
- Caolan McFadden - Villanova University (Cranford AC) - 55th - 25:36.7
Big Ten Championships, Friday October 30th
Women’s 6km
- Ailish Hawkins - University of California, Los Angeles (Dublin City Harriers) - 54th - 20:55.9
Men’s 8km
- Frank Buchanan - University of Illinois (CNDR Track Club) - 15th - 23:25.0
- Cillian Gleeson - University of Wisconsin (Celbridge AC) - 46th - 24:03.8
Southland Championships, Friday October 30th
Women’s 6km
- Elsa Moore - McNeese State University (Lifford Strabane AC) - 41st - 22:29.9
- Maria Murnane - McNeese State University (Killarney Valley AC) - 57th - 23:14.5
Men’s 8km
- Diarmuid Moloney - McNeese State University (Nenagh Olympic AC) - 13th - 24:25.0
- Ryan McCarthy - McNeese State University (Leevale AC) - 14th - 24:27.1
Missouri Valley Championships, Friday October 30th
Women’s 6km
- Eimear McCarroll - Bradley University (Finn Valley AC) - 15th - 20:46.8
ACC Championships, Friday October 30th
Women’s 6km
- Nicole Dinan - Florida State University (Leevale AC) - 35th - 20:03.3
Men’s 8km
- Shane Brosnan - University of Virginia (An Ríocht AC) - 54th - 23:44.4
UAC Championships, Friday October 30th
Women’s 5km
- Nadine McIntyre - University of Arkansas at Little Rock (Finn Valley AC) - 19th - 18:56.3
ASUN Championships, Friday October 30th
Women’s 5km
- Sarah Bradley - Queens University of Charlotte (Finn Valley AC) - 59th - 21:14.7
SEC Championships, Friday October 30th
Men’s 8km
- Seán Donoghue - University of Mississippi (Dublin City Harriers) - 94th - 25:47.3
Metro Conference Championships, Saturday October 31st
Women’s 6km
- Muireann Duffy - Iona University (Clonmel AC) - 6th - 21:45.1
Men’s 8km
- Billy Coogan - Iona University (Kilkenny City Harriers) - 4th - 24:56.8
- Sean Lawton - Iona University (Durrus AC) - 21st - 25:49.8
Atlantic 10 Championships, Saturday October 31st
Men’s 8km
- Scott Fagan - Loyola University Chicago (Metro/St Brigid’s AC) - 7th - 23:52.9
- Seán Cronin - La Salle University (Clonliffe Harriers) - 44th - 24:52.3
Big 12 Championships, Saturday October 31st
Men’s 8km
- Dean Casey - University of Colorado (Ennis Track AC) - 18th - 23:43.4
- Colin Smith - Arizona State University (Mullingar Harriers) - 91st - 26:24.5
Ivy League Championships, Saturday October 31st
Women’s 6km
- Emmy Thornton - Dartmouth College (Willowfield Harriers) - 27th - 21:21.7
American Conference Championships, Saturday October 31st
Women’s 6km
- Susie Nestor - Rice University (UCD AC) - 80th - 23:35.4
Image: Iona Track/XC
