ORLANDO - The UCF women’s cross country team has premiered its 2026 season schedule, highlighted by a three-meet regular season slate and a trip to the Big 12 Championships.
The 2026 season marks assistant coach Bryan Harmon’s fourth year leading the Knights’ distance squad, having taken the helm when the team joined the Big 12 prior to the 2023 campaign.
The Black and Gold’s roster consists of a solid group of 10 returners, while being bolstered by the addition of three transfers and a freshman.
UCF will embark on the Florida Intercollegiate (5k) to commence its 2026 campaign for the second-consecutive year in Jacksonville on September 4.
The Knights will look to build upon a solid third-place showing a season prior, as returning piece Ava Quattrocchi led the way with a time of 18:10.00, marking a new personal record.
After a weekend off, the Knights will return to Huntsville, Alabama, for the Southern Showcase (5k), hosted by Jacksonville State.
UCF secured a 10th place finish a season ago which was highlighted by one of the program’s top 5k times ever (17:11.09) from Yvonne Sandui to garner her Big 12 Runner of the Week honors.
Following a two-season hiatus, the Black and Gold will compete at the Arturo Barrios Invitational in College Station, Texas, on October 16, presenting the first 6k prior to the Big 12’s and a challenging field for the squad.
UCF’s fourth Big 12 Championship lands on Halloween this season, as the Knights will venture west to Stillwater, Oklahoma, on October 31. Hosted by Oklahoma State at the Greiner Family Course, coach Harmon and his squad will strive for their best performance yet at the conference meet.
The 2026NCAA South Region Championships land once again in Tallahassee, Florida, at the Apalachee Regional Park on November 13.
Qualified athletes will then compete at the NCAA National Championship on Nov. 21 in Terre Haute, Ind.