KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The 2026 NAIA Men’s Cross-Country season is in full swing as we enter the third weekend of the schedule, with the top teams in the preseason ratings starting with strong opening-season performances.
After their men’s cross-country program was discontinued in 2010, Mid-America Christian (Okla.) is seeing a resurgence as a top program in 2026, not only in the Sooner Athletic Conference but also across the nation. The program was restarted in 2023, and the Evangels have seen consistent growth over the past four years under Head Coach Merritt Suenram.
Mid-America Christian began its rebirth in 2023 with seven runners, placing fourth at the SAC Championship Meet, and then repeated that success in 2024 with another fourth-place finish, as they notched their first All-SAC runner in Jaden Rodriguez. Rodriguez went on to be the first Evangel runner to qualify for the NAIA National Championship and finished in the top half of the field.
The 2025 edition of the Evangels saw continued growth as Mid-America Christian placed third at the SAC Championships and had three All-SAC performers: Rodriguez, Lucky Maila, and Jonathan Avila. Both Rodriguez and Maila qualified for the NAIA Championship that season.
Restarting a program after a 13-year hiatus is not an easy feat.
“The most difficult part about restarting this program has been solidifying our team as legitimate contenders in the eyes of local athletes and coaches,” stated Suenram. “The first two years, it was difficult to garner legitimate interest in top local talent, understandably so, because we had no history of success. Fortunately, I think we’ve proven we are a program that’s built to have lasting success, and that’s a testament really to our institution’s support from the top down.”
As the Evangels started the 2026 season slotted into the 21st position in the NAIA Preseason Rating, Suenram knows that recruiting has been the biggest piece of the puzzle for Mid-America Christian.
“Recruiting has certainly been the driving force behind our competitive rise”, said Suenram. “While resurrecting a program has its own challenges, we’ve been extremely intentional to build a culture that cares for, develops, and supports athletes with excellence. I think now, going into year four, recruits certainly feel that when they step onto our campus.”
Mid-America Christian will rely on a trio of transfers to continue their success this season. Mohamed Guled opened the season with a first-place finish at the Rogers State After Dark event with a new meet record over the four-mile course in a time of 19:12.7. He will be joined by Abdulsalam Farah, who posted the second-fastest time in program history in the four-mile at Rogers State with a mark of 20:28.2, and Mohamed Zairi, who is returning after missing the second part of the 2025 season.
In gaining early-season recognition, Suenram knows that it is only the beginning, as the Evangels will need to compete in the SAC against some of the blue-bloods in cross country for the top spot.
“It feels good simply because it recognizes our athletes who have worked hard to build our program over the past three years”, stated Suenram. “Our conference as a whole is on the rise in our sport, and that’s a credit to tremendous coaches like Peter Cunningham and Andrew Leahey, just to name a few. So, to be in the same conversation as the top teams in our conference is exactly where we want to be. However, the reality is preseason means nothing; we still feel we are the hunters rather than the hunted.”
You can keep an eye on MACU’s season HERE
No. 1 Cumberlands – The Patriots started fast as they claimed the title at the Wildcat Twilight Invitational with 34 points to open the season against a loaded field. Collin De Julio won the individual title with a time of 18:32.30, while Caleb Hershey placed fourth with a mark of 18:38.90, and James Ndayishimiye was fifth with a time of 18:41.50.
No. 2 Indiana Wesleyan – The Wildcats finished second at the Wildcat Twilight with 49 points as they put three runners inside the Top 10. Trenton Sweet placed third in the meet with a time of 18:35.21 to place Indiana Wesleyan, with teammate David Yowler claiming sixth with a mark of 18:43.00, while Camden Raab earned seventh place with a time of 18:43.10.
No. 3 Southern Oregon – The Raiders capped off a trip to Northern California by winning the Simpson Invitational with 20 points as they placed five runners in the Top 10. Andrew Rush won the individual title with a time of 29:07.35 over the 8k course, while last year’s champion of the Simpson Invitational, Carter Stedman finished right behind the winner with a mark of 29:07.47.
Next rating coming September 23
Next POTW September 22
About the NAIA
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., is a governing body of small college athletics programs dedicated to character-driven, education-based athletics. Since 1937, the NAIA has balanced high-level competition with holistic student-athlete development through its commitment to The Right Way to Play®. Each year more than 87,000 NAIA student-athletes compete in college athletics, earn over $1.3 billion in financial aid, and pursue opportunities to participate in 30 national championships. naia.org | @NAIA | #TheRightWayToPlay
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