MILLIGAN, Tenn. – Milligan director of cross country and track & field, Chris Layne, announced the 2026 cross country schedule for the Buffaloes' men's and women's teams on Thursday afternoon. Both teams will be attending six regular-season events to get them ready for the AAC Championship and NAIA Championship races in November.

Click HERE to view the men's schedule.

Click HERE to view the women's schedule.

The seasons begin at the Covered Bridge Open in Boone, N.C., hosted by Appalachian State University on Sept. 4. Two weeks later, Milligan will send a group of their runners to the Southern Showcase, hosted by Jacksonville State University in Huntsville, Ala. on Sept. 18. Meanwhile, the remainder of the rosters will be heading to the Brevard Invitational in Brevard, N.C., which is put on by Brevard College. A week later, Milligan will host the Eli Cramer Invitational at Steele Creek Park in Bristol, Tenn. for the second straight year, on Sept. 25.

October will start with a trip to the Royals Cross Country Challenge in Charlotte, N.C., hosted by Queens University on Oct. 9. The Buffaloes' last regular-season event will take place on Oct. 23 in Knoxville, Tenn. at the Appalachian Challenge, hosted by Tennessee Wesleyan University. The Buffs' squads have won the event on both the men's and women's sides in each of the past three seasons.

In November, Milligan faces the Appalachian Athletic Conference Cross Country Championships in Knoxville on Nov. 7, which the men have won seven straight times, and the women have claimed in six consecutive seasons. With strong conference performances, the Buffaloes will head to the NAIA Cross Country Championships in Vancouver, Wash. on Nov. 20, where the men and women will be striving to build upon second and eighth-place finishes in 2025, respectively.

"Every year, we build our schedule with the championship phase of the season in mind," Layne said. "This year, we've made a few strategic adjustments, and we're incredibly excited to get to work and hit the road with the Buffs. We can't wait to see what this group of young women and young men are capable of accomplishing."