Friday, November 13
Spartanburg, S.C.
10:00 AM ET
Liberty University
at
NCAA Division I Southeast Regional Championships
The Liberty men's cross country team boasted seven All-CUSA performers two weeks ago.
Photo by: We Run Race Photos
11/10/2026 1:41:00 PM | Cross Country
LYNCHBURG, Va. – For the first time since 2023, the NCAA Division I Southeast Regional Championships will take place at the Milliken Research Park in Spartanburg, S.C. Liberty will compete in Friday's meet, which will determine the team and individual qualifiers to the 2026 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships.
The women's 6K will get things started at 10 a.m. with the men's 10K to follow at 11 a.m.
Liberty has successfully qualified athletes to the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships in each of the last three years (2023-25) and in five of the last six seasons, dating back to spring 2021.
How to Follow the Flames and Lady Flames
Live results will be available throughout both of Friday's races, courtesy of Flash Results.
Weather Report
Friday's weather in Spartanburg will be much more pleasant than the oppressive heat the Flames battled during the season-opening Eye Opener on Sept. 4. The forecast calls for mostly sunny skies and a temperature in the upper 40s and low 50s Friday morning.
Checking Out the Course
Liberty began its 2026 season at the Eye Opener, Sept. 4 at the Milliken Research Park. On a day where the high temperature reached the mid 90s, the Flames and Lady Flames raced in packs most of the way.
Andrew Schultz (21st place) led the Liberty men's squad to second place, while Allie Zealand (ninth place) helped the Lady Flames come in third in the team standings.
The last time the NCAA Division I Southeast Regional Championships took place in Spartanburg (2023), a pair of Flames notched all-region finishes. Nicholas Kiprotich came in 17th in the men's 10K to punch his ticket to the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships, while Adelyn Fairley crossed the line 22nd in the women's 6K.
How to Punch Your Ticket to Terre Haute
The common goal for all men's and women's teams competing in Spartanburg on Friday is to qualify for the 2026 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships, to be contested Nov. 21 at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course in Terre Haute, Ind. Here's what it takes:
Team Qualification: The top two teams at each of Friday's nine regional meets will automatically advance to the national meet. Liberty's region consists of teams from Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. The national field will then be filled with 14 at-large selections, comprising a total of 32 men's and 32 women's teams which will compete in Terre Haute. The at-large squads will be determined using a formula based upon head-to-head success against other national qualifiers during the regular season.
Individual Qualification: All runners who place in the top 25 at the regional meet earn all-region recognition and become eligible for advancement to Terre Haute. The national meet features 38 individual competitors not on advancing teams. The top four finishers from each regional meet who are not part of a national-qualifying squad will punch their ticket to Terre Haute. Then, two at-large individuals will be added to round out the national field.
In summary, the only people who will know for sure that they are bound for Terre Haute on Friday are the top two teams in each race and the first four individual finishers who are not part of one of those teams. The complete field of team and individual qualifiers to Terre Haute will be revealed Saturday at 5 p.m. on NCAA.com.
Women's Team Preview
Coming off a CUSA runner-up finish, the Lady Flames will aim to continue their recent trend of strong regional showings on Friday.
Liberty has finished inside the top 10 at this meet in four of the last five years, including fifth place in fall 2021, ninth in 2022, fifth in 2024 and 10th a year ago.
The Lady Flames boasted five All-CUSA performers two weeks ago in Huntsville, Ala., including Allie Zealand (third place), Rachel Hill (ninth), Ryann Aycock (14th), Ava Gordon (19th) and Eden Alexander (20th).
Liberty arrives in Spartanburg ranked No. 13 in a very deep Southeast Region which features seven nationally ranked teams.
Nine-time defending regional champion NC State leads the way at No. 2, followed by No. 9 South Carolina, No. 12 Clemson, No. 14 Virginia Tech, No. 18 North Carolina, No. 19 Duke and No. 22 Virginia.
The Lady Flames have sent a team to the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships once (spring 2021), and their best-ever regional finish is fifth (fall 2021 and 2024).
Women's Individual Preview
Junior Allie Zealand, who placed fifth at last year's NCAA Division I Southeast Regional Championships, will attempt to become just the fourth Lady Flame ever to make multiple NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships appearances.
The only previous Lady Flames to do so include Zealand's mother and coach Heather (Sagan) Zealand (2000 and 2001), Calli Doan (spring 2021 and fall 2021) and Adelyn Fairley (spring 2021 and 2024).
Zealand, who placed 21st at the 2025 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships, has earned All-America honors in each of her last three opportunities. She also came in fifth in the 3K at the 2026 NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships and was 16th in the 1,500 at the 2026 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
Zealand has been an all-region performer each of the last two years, also including a 20th-place finish as a freshman at the 2024 NCAA Division I Southeast Regional Championships. A top-25 effort on Friday would enable her to tie the program record of three all-region medals, co-held by Jennifer Klugh (2010, 2011 and 2012) and Adelyn Fairley (fall 2021, 2023 and 2024).
Zealand came in third at the CUSA meet two weeks ago in a season-best 6K time of 19:36.5. It was 17 seconds faster than Zealand had run on the same John Hunt Park course when she captured the 2025 CUSA individual title.
Zealand also placed a strong 15th at the Under Armour Pre-National Invitational, Oct. 16 in Terre Haute, Ind. However, eight of the 14 runners who defeated her that day hail from the Southeast Region.
Other than Zealand, Ava Gordon owns the top previous regional finish among the Lady Flames, coming in 31st in 2024. Rachel Hill also appears poised to improve significantly upon her 107th-place performance from a year ago, following her ninth-place CUSA effort.
The most all-region runners the Lady Flames have boasted in a year is two, achieved in 2001, fall 2021 and 2024.
Men's Team Preview
On the heels of a third-place CUSA finish, the Liberty men's squad will look to continue a string of consistency at the regional level. The Flames have finished among the top 15 each of the last 20 times they have fielded a full squad at the NCAA Division I Southeast Regional Championships, dating back to 2004.
The run is headlined by a pair of fifth-place showings (2007 and 2008) and 13 total appearances inside the top 10 since 2004.
Liberty features the depth required for a strong regional performance, as evidenced by the Flames' CUSA-leading seven all-conference performers. They included Andrew Schultz (sixth place), Tristian Merchant (12th), Ethan Pedersen (16th), Malachi Burnett (17th), Edwin Kiprop (19th), Eric Duncan (20th) and Grattan O'Neill (21st).
The Flames, who have never qualified a full team to the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships, enter the week listed outside the Southeast Region's top 15. The region includes four nationally ranked units, including No. 9 Wake Forest, No. 15 Virginia Tech, No. 18 Eastern Kentucky and No. 23 Furman.
Men's Individual Preview
Tristian Merchant (35th in 2024) boasts the highest previous regional finish among the Liberty men's runners. Meanwhile, Andrew Schultz will attempt to continue his upward trajectory at this meet after placing 108th in 2024 and 58th a year ago.
Three of Liberty's All-CUSA runners (Malachi Burnett, Eric Duncan and Grattan O'Neill) will step up to the 10K distance for the first time in their collegiate cross country careers.
The Flames' most recent all-region performance came in 2023, the last time this meet was held in Spartanburg. Nicholas Kiprotich placed 17th to punch his ticket to the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships.
Liberty has a strong history of individual success at the NCAA Division I Southeast Regional Championships, capturing six individual titles in seven years between 2004 and 2010. Josh McDougal and Sam Chelanga won three apiece during that impressive span.
The women's 6K will get things started at 10 a.m. with the men's 10K to follow at 11 a.m.
Liberty has successfully qualified athletes to the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships in each of the last three years (2023-25) and in five of the last six seasons, dating back to spring 2021.
How to Follow the Flames and Lady Flames
Live results will be available throughout both of Friday's races, courtesy of Flash Results.
Weather Report
Friday's weather in Spartanburg will be much more pleasant than the oppressive heat the Flames battled during the season-opening Eye Opener on Sept. 4. The forecast calls for mostly sunny skies and a temperature in the upper 40s and low 50s Friday morning.
Checking Out the Course
Liberty began its 2026 season at the Eye Opener, Sept. 4 at the Milliken Research Park. On a day where the high temperature reached the mid 90s, the Flames and Lady Flames raced in packs most of the way.
Andrew Schultz (21st place) led the Liberty men's squad to second place, while Allie Zealand (ninth place) helped the Lady Flames come in third in the team standings.
The last time the NCAA Division I Southeast Regional Championships took place in Spartanburg (2023), a pair of Flames notched all-region finishes. Nicholas Kiprotich came in 17th in the men's 10K to punch his ticket to the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships, while Adelyn Fairley crossed the line 22nd in the women's 6K.
How to Punch Your Ticket to Terre Haute
The common goal for all men's and women's teams competing in Spartanburg on Friday is to qualify for the 2026 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships, to be contested Nov. 21 at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course in Terre Haute, Ind. Here's what it takes:
Team Qualification: The top two teams at each of Friday's nine regional meets will automatically advance to the national meet. Liberty's region consists of teams from Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. The national field will then be filled with 14 at-large selections, comprising a total of 32 men's and 32 women's teams which will compete in Terre Haute. The at-large squads will be determined using a formula based upon head-to-head success against other national qualifiers during the regular season.
Individual Qualification: All runners who place in the top 25 at the regional meet earn all-region recognition and become eligible for advancement to Terre Haute. The national meet features 38 individual competitors not on advancing teams. The top four finishers from each regional meet who are not part of a national-qualifying squad will punch their ticket to Terre Haute. Then, two at-large individuals will be added to round out the national field.
In summary, the only people who will know for sure that they are bound for Terre Haute on Friday are the top two teams in each race and the first four individual finishers who are not part of one of those teams. The complete field of team and individual qualifiers to Terre Haute will be revealed Saturday at 5 p.m. on NCAA.com.
Women's Team Preview
Coming off a CUSA runner-up finish, the Lady Flames will aim to continue their recent trend of strong regional showings on Friday.
Liberty has finished inside the top 10 at this meet in four of the last five years, including fifth place in fall 2021, ninth in 2022, fifth in 2024 and 10th a year ago.
The Lady Flames boasted five All-CUSA performers two weeks ago in Huntsville, Ala., including Allie Zealand (third place), Rachel Hill (ninth), Ryann Aycock (14th), Ava Gordon (19th) and Eden Alexander (20th).
Liberty arrives in Spartanburg ranked No. 13 in a very deep Southeast Region which features seven nationally ranked teams.
Nine-time defending regional champion NC State leads the way at No. 2, followed by No. 9 South Carolina, No. 12 Clemson, No. 14 Virginia Tech, No. 18 North Carolina, No. 19 Duke and No. 22 Virginia.
The Lady Flames have sent a team to the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships once (spring 2021), and their best-ever regional finish is fifth (fall 2021 and 2024).
Women's Individual Preview
Junior Allie Zealand, who placed fifth at last year's NCAA Division I Southeast Regional Championships, will attempt to become just the fourth Lady Flame ever to make multiple NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships appearances.
The only previous Lady Flames to do so include Zealand's mother and coach Heather (Sagan) Zealand (2000 and 2001), Calli Doan (spring 2021 and fall 2021) and Adelyn Fairley (spring 2021 and 2024).
Zealand, who placed 21st at the 2025 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships, has earned All-America honors in each of her last three opportunities. She also came in fifth in the 3K at the 2026 NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships and was 16th in the 1,500 at the 2026 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
Zealand has been an all-region performer each of the last two years, also including a 20th-place finish as a freshman at the 2024 NCAA Division I Southeast Regional Championships. A top-25 effort on Friday would enable her to tie the program record of three all-region medals, co-held by Jennifer Klugh (2010, 2011 and 2012) and Adelyn Fairley (fall 2021, 2023 and 2024).
Zealand came in third at the CUSA meet two weeks ago in a season-best 6K time of 19:36.5. It was 17 seconds faster than Zealand had run on the same John Hunt Park course when she captured the 2025 CUSA individual title.
Zealand also placed a strong 15th at the Under Armour Pre-National Invitational, Oct. 16 in Terre Haute, Ind. However, eight of the 14 runners who defeated her that day hail from the Southeast Region.
Other than Zealand, Ava Gordon owns the top previous regional finish among the Lady Flames, coming in 31st in 2024. Rachel Hill also appears poised to improve significantly upon her 107th-place performance from a year ago, following her ninth-place CUSA effort.
The most all-region runners the Lady Flames have boasted in a year is two, achieved in 2001, fall 2021 and 2024.
Men's Team Preview
On the heels of a third-place CUSA finish, the Liberty men's squad will look to continue a string of consistency at the regional level. The Flames have finished among the top 15 each of the last 20 times they have fielded a full squad at the NCAA Division I Southeast Regional Championships, dating back to 2004.
The run is headlined by a pair of fifth-place showings (2007 and 2008) and 13 total appearances inside the top 10 since 2004.
Liberty features the depth required for a strong regional performance, as evidenced by the Flames' CUSA-leading seven all-conference performers. They included Andrew Schultz (sixth place), Tristian Merchant (12th), Ethan Pedersen (16th), Malachi Burnett (17th), Edwin Kiprop (19th), Eric Duncan (20th) and Grattan O'Neill (21st).
The Flames, who have never qualified a full team to the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships, enter the week listed outside the Southeast Region's top 15. The region includes four nationally ranked units, including No. 9 Wake Forest, No. 15 Virginia Tech, No. 18 Eastern Kentucky and No. 23 Furman.
Men's Individual Preview
Tristian Merchant (35th in 2024) boasts the highest previous regional finish among the Liberty men's runners. Meanwhile, Andrew Schultz will attempt to continue his upward trajectory at this meet after placing 108th in 2024 and 58th a year ago.
Three of Liberty's All-CUSA runners (Malachi Burnett, Eric Duncan and Grattan O'Neill) will step up to the 10K distance for the first time in their collegiate cross country careers.
The Flames' most recent all-region performance came in 2023, the last time this meet was held in Spartanburg. Nicholas Kiprotich placed 17th to punch his ticket to the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships.
Liberty has a strong history of individual success at the NCAA Division I Southeast Regional Championships, capturing six individual titles in seven years between 2004 and 2010. Josh McDougal and Sam Chelanga won three apiece during that impressive span.
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