LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Spalding University cross country teams delivered a standout performance at the 2026 SLIAC Cross Country Championships on Saturday, October 31, at E.P. "Tom" Sawyer State Park in Louisville, Kentucky. Highlighted by a cohesive squad effort, the Golden Eagle women secured a runner-up team finish, placing second out of seven teams with 60 points and a 26:48 team average. Freshman Gemma Harkins led the charge for the women, capturing a podium spot with a second-place overall finish in 24:23.4. Sophomore Bailey Haws also notched a top-10 result, crossing ninth at 26:03.3. The scoring lineup was rounded out by Bessie Kelley (27:09.9), Reganne Piercy (27:12.5), and Eryn Rataiczak (29:13.0), solidifying Spalding's position right behind team champion Greenville University.

On the men's side, Spalding competed with individual runners, headlined by a impressive performance from junior Tobias Rice. Rice took sixth place overall in the 8K race with a time of 27:06.0 to lock up all-conference honors, while freshman Josiah Harris also turned in a solid effort on the championship course.