JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Stetson cross country teams will open the 2026 season Friday night in Jacksonville at the Florida Intercollegiate Invitational, hosted by the University of North Florida. The meet will feature more than 15 programs from across the state, including several teams that enter the season ranked in the NCAA South Region.
The Stetson women enter the fall picked fifth in the ASUN preseason poll and return much of the core that helped the Hatters finish seventh at last season's conference championship.
Leading that group is sophomore Hannah Judge, who put together a record-setting freshman campaign in 2025. Judge broke Stetson's program records in both the 5K and 6K, including a 17:33.4 performance at the ASUN Championship and a 21:37 effort at the NCAA South Regional.
The Hatters return four of their top five scorers from last year's ASUN Championship, with Judge joined by Kendall Wampler, Madison Kerr-Wong and Avery Sommers. Wampler, Kerr-Wong and Sommers all finished within five seconds of one another at the conference meet, helping Stetson post a 1-5 average of 18:24.
Stetson also adds seven newcomers to the women's roster, giving the Hatters additional depth entering the new season.
The women will open competition Friday at 6:30 p.m. in the 5K.
On the men's side, Stetson was also selected fifth in the ASUN preseason poll while receiving one first-place vote. The Hatters enter 2026 after one of the strongest championship performances in program history, setting a school record with a 25:15 team average at last year's ASUN Championship.
Stetson returns six of its top seven finishers from that conference meet, including Michael Petrovic, Robbie Champa, Seth Singer and Zeke Galbraith. Petrovic led the Hatters at the ASUN Championship with a 25:01 performance, while Champa, Singer and the rest of Stetson's scoring group helped produce one of the tightest packs in the field.
The Hatters also bring back a deep sophomore class featuring Kenan Willard, Jonathan Pena and Blake Young. Willard emerged as one of Stetson's top runners during his freshman season, highlighted by a 25:07.5 at the Louisville Cross Country Classic that moved him to No. 11 on the program's all-time 8K list and No. 2 among freshmen.
The men will also race the 5K distance Friday before transitioning to the traditional 8K later in the season.
Friday's meet marks the first of six scheduled competitions for the Hatters before the ASUN Championship on Oct. 30 in Richmond, Kentucky.
About Stetson Athletics
At Stetson University, student-athletes don't just compete—they thrive. Located in historic DeLand, Florida, between Orlando and Daytona Beach, Stetson offers the perfect blend of competitive athletics, academic excellence, and an unbeatable Central Florida lifestyle. As the oldest private university in the region, Stetson supports approximately 500 student-athletes across 19 NCAA Division I sports. Nicknamed the "Hatters" after the institution's namesake John B. Stetson, a hat manufacturer who originated the modern-day cowboy hat, most Stetson athletic teams compete in the Atlantic Sun Conference, where they proudly hold the longest active membership since 1985. With top-tier facilities, personalized support, and a welcoming campus community, Stetson is where students can grow, compete, and succeed. Learn more at GoHatters.com or follow social media accounts @StetsonHatters.
