SPARTANBRUG, S.C. – The 2026 Conference Carolinas Cross Country Championships ended with a pair of first time champions. Young Harris College won the men’s title and the Mountain Lions’ Aidan Vrazel won the individual title. UNC Pembroke won the women’s title with the Braves’ Faith Jeptoo taking the individual title.
UNC Pembroke won the team title with 33 points, besting two-time defending champion North Greenville University’s 50 points. The Braves placed four runners in the top 10 and five in the top 20.
Jeptoo covered the 6k distance in 21:53.0 to win the individual championship by nearly 15 seconds. 2025 individual champion Megan Knapp of Lees-McRae College finished runner-up with a time of 22:07.8 while UNC Pembroke’s Jana Zett took third in 22:16.1. Ellie Timmons of North Greenville came in fourth with a time of 22:22.4 while UNC Pembroke’s Malea Bennewitz took fifth in 22:36.4.
CHAMPIONSHIP PAGE | MEN’S RESULTS | WOMEN’S RESULTS
Young Harris won the title with 52 points, topping second place UNC Pembroke’s 59 points. The Mountain Lions placed three runners in the top 10 and five in the top 20.
Vrazel won the individual title with an 8k time of 25:56.1. Ryan Hunter of Southern Wesleyan University finished runner-up in 24:58.5 while King University’s Mario Ruda Puertas crossed the tape in third with a time of 25:01.1. Ander Vera Moleres of Converse University and Michael Bullock of Belmont Abbey College finished fourth and fifth with times of 25:04.6 and 25:05.7, respectively.
2026 Women’s Cross Country Championship
Individual Award Winners
Runner of the Year
Faith Jeptoo, UNC Pembroke
Freshman of the Year
Jana Zett, UNC Pembroke
Coach of the Year
Dr. Peter Ormsby, UNC Pembroke
Builder Services of North Carolina Elite-Scholar Athlete
Riley Shope, North Greenville
2026 Men’s Cross Country Championship
Individual Award Winners
Runner of the Year
Aidan Vrazel, Young Harris
Freshman of the Year
Mario Ruda Puertas, King
Coach of the Year
Wyatt Whipp, Young Harris
Builder Services of North Carolina Elite-Scholar Athlete
Aidan Vrazel, Young Harris
2026 Women’s Cross Country Championship
Final Team Results
- UNC Pembroke
- North Greenville
- Young Harris
- Southern Wesleyan
- Converse
- Mount Olive
- Lees-McRae
- Belmont Abbey
- Ferrum
- Emmanuel
- King
- Erskine
- Barton
- Chowan
2026 Men’s Cross Country Championship
Final Team Results
- Young Harris
- UNC Pembroke
- Converse
- Mount Olive
- Belmont Abbey
- King
- Lees-McRae
- North Greenville
- Emmanuel
- Ferrum
- Southern Wesleyan
- Erskine
- Barton
- Francis Marion
2026 Women’s Cross Country Championship
All-Conference
First Team
Faith Jpetoo, UNC Pembroke
Megan Knapp, Lees-McRae
Jana Zett, UNC Pembroke
Ellie Timmons, North Greenville
Malea Bennewitz, UNC Pembroke
Corrie Reinhardt, North Greenville
Julie Black, Young Harris
Second Team
Reid Harvey-McKean, UNC Pembroke
Elizabeth Young, Belmont Abbey
Cecily Anderton, North Greenville
Addison Martin, North Greenville
Claire Aponte, Mount Olive
Danielle Johnston, Mount Olive
Callie Cornelius, Young Harris
Third Team
Ellie Adams, Southern Wesleyan
Sara Belgacem, UNC Pembroke
Zary’a Mines, Converse
Elise Foster, Southern Wesleyan
Ellie Blitch, North Greenville
Sophia Olszak, UNC Pembroke
Alexandria White, Mount Olive
2026 Men’s Cross Country Championship
All-Conference
First Team
Aidan Vrazel, Young Harris
Ryan Hunter, Southern Wesleyan
Mario Ruda Puertas, King
Ander Vera Moleres, Converse
Michael Bullock, Belmont Abbey
Kelvin Kibet, UNC Pembroke
Alexander Potter, Young Harris
Second Team
Lucas Boulakia, Converse
James Hook, Converse
Dylan Stone, Young Harris
Edward Carney, UNC Pembroke
Ryan Jimenez, UNC Pembroke
Charlie Miller, UNC Pembroke
Artem Meltsaiev, Mount Olive
Third Team
Troy Winkler, Young Harris
Martin O’Rourke, Belmont Abbey
Payden Lewis, UNC Pembroke
Leo Powell, Mount Olive
Landon Amos, Young Harris
Cole Johnson, King
Hylan Caouette, Lees-McRae