LAKEWOOD, N.J. (November, 8, 2026) – By a margin of one point, Wilmington University earned the team title at the 2026 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Men’s Cross-Country Championship race on Sunday morning at Ocean County Park. Wilmington edged 2025 champion Thomas Jefferson University, 45-46, with Felician University lurking just off the pace in third place with 54 points.
The result was a near reversal of last year, when Jefferson finished two points ahead of the Wildcats to earn the championship. The 2026 title for Wilmington was its third in the last four years and its ninth in program history, matching Felician University for the most in the CACC on the men’s side.
The Wildcats were keyed by freshman Kenai Black’s individual championship and sophomore Skyler Pearson’s third-place finish. Black traversed the 8,000-meter course in a meet-record time of 26:06.8, while Pearson was right behind in 26:08.6. Those two results gave Wilmington a four-point edge.
The Wildcats’ No. 3 man was sophomore Reggie Hernandez, who came in only six seconds behind Jefferson’s third finisher, but three slots back and 13th overall in 27:12. Another Wilmington sophomore, Julian Rich, crossed the line right behind Hernandez in 27:19 to keep his team in the lead. Ram athletes finished 15th and 16th, but the Wildcats locked up the championship when senior Carter Sparwasser came across 17th with a time of 27:40.
Also in the Wilmington lineup were sophomore Kevin Gonzalez (21st, 28:03) and freshman Mason Baldwin (37th, 30:04). Complete team results are listed below.
Wilmington has won all of its CACC championships under 26th-year head coach Keith Jones.
2026 CACC MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY FINAL STANDINGS
| Pl. |
Team |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
-- |
Score |
| 1. |
Wilmington |
1 |
3 |
12 |
13 |
16 |
20 |
36 |
-- |
45 |
| 2. |
Jefferson |
2 |
6 |
9 |
14 |
15 |
17 |
19 |
-- |
46 |
| 3. |
Felician |
7 |
8 |
10 |
11 |
18 |
24 |
50 |
-- |
54 |
| 4. |
Georgian Court |
4 |
21 |
23 |
25 |
30 |
37 |
|
-- |
103 |
| 5. |
Holy Family |
27 |
33 |
35 |
39 |
40 |
42 |
48 |
-- |
174 |
|
Goldey-Beacom |
5 |
32 |
41 |
45 |
51 |
55 |
|
-- |
174 |
| 7. |
Caldwell |
29 |
34 |
38 |
46 |
49 |
57 |
|
-- |
196 |
| 8. |
Dominican |
28 |
43 |
44 |
47 |
59 |
|
|
-- |
221 |
| 9. |
Chestnut Hill |
22 |
31 |
56 |
58 |
60 |
61 |
|
-- |
227 |
| 10. |
Bridgeport |
26 |
52 |
53 |
54 |
62 |
63 |
|
-- |
247 |
|
Post |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
inc. |