SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) announced that Drury University will host the 2026 GLVC Men's and Women's Cross Country Championships at Allison Sports Town on Saturday, Nov. 7. 
 
"The GLVC Cross Country Championships are the first of 25 events the league will host during the 2026-27 season, and we're pleased to be working with Drury University and Allison Sports Town to run both races at a new venue this fall," GLVC Commissioner Jim Naumovich said. "Hosting our cross country and soccer championships in Springfield, MO allows us to promote a GLVC Fall Championship Festival from November 5-8, 2026, with hundreds of NCAA Division II student-athletes in the league competing for a Conference title."
 
The GLVC Championships will begin with the men's 8,000-meter race at 9:30 a.m., followed by the women's 6,000-meter race at 10:30 a.m.
 
"We are excited to welcome another championship to the Springfield area," Vice President and Director of Athletics Nyla Milleson said. "We believe Allison Sports Town will be a great environment for the championships, and we thank Chris Martin for helping make this possible." 
 
"Allison Sports Town is thrilled to welcome the GLVC and its members for their 2026 Cross Country Championships to Springfield," Allison Sports Town General Manager Chris Martin said. "Thank you to Drury University-Nyla Milleson, Barb Cowherd and coach Luke Karamitros for partnering with us on this event. There has been a lot of time, effort and vision put in by a lot of groups to make this a reality, and we are looking forward to showcasing our facility for this championship event!"
 
The Panthers competed on the championship course earlier this season at the Queen City After Dark, where the Drury men placed second among 13 teams in the 6,000-meter race, while the women finished third among 13 teams in the 5,000-meter. Cera Eckenroth won the women's individual title by 30 seconds and was named GLVC Runner of the Week following her performance. Tyler Harris led the Drury men with a second-place individual finish.
 
Lewis hosted last year's championships in Romeoville, Ill., and captured both the men's and women's team titles.
 
Drury has hosted the GLVC Cross Country Championships once before, in 2012. The Panthers finished fifth among 12 teams in the men's race and sixth among 13 teams in the women's race. Erin Dolan highlighted Drury's performance with a third-place individual finish in the women's race.
 
In program history, Drury has produced three individual GLVC champions on both the men's and women's sides, while the Panthers are still seeking their first conference team championship.

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