- Jack Johnston was named SEC Men’s Runner of the Week.
- The distance increases to 5K for the women, 8K for the men.
- A stacked field arrives in College Station, featuring multiple regionally ranked teams.
COLLEGE STATION – The Aggie men’s and women’s cross country teams host the Texas A&M Invitational Friday at 8 a.m on the Watts Cross Country Course looking to build on its strong start to the season as the race distance increases.
The Aggies will face 15 regional programs, including more than seven teams ranked in the Top 15 of the South Central Preseason Regional rankings. The men will contest an 8K race at 8 a.m., while the women will compete over 5K at 8:35 a.m. Texas A&M men’s team was ranked third and women’s team ranked second in the USTFCCCA South Central preseason poll, the highest of all teams competing Friday. Stephen F. Austin will look to challenge the Aggies after being picked first in the Southland Confrence Preseason Poll and sweeping the McNeese Opener last Friday.
To continue the winning streak at home, the women bring in Sophia Bendet to aid last week's roster led by freshman Laney Barnes. For the men, Alessandro Pasquinucci joins the six athletes who competed a week ago. The group will look defend the Texas A&M Invitational team titles after sweeping the 2025 race. Individually Carter Gordy returns as the third place finisher in a time of 23:46.3 from a year ago. For the women, Sophia Bendet also finished third in a time of 17:03.7.
This meet marks the second of four home meets for the Aggies. Following Friday’s meet, the team will travel to Princeton, N.J., to compete in the Princeton Meadows Challenge before returning home for the annual Arturo Barrios Invitational on Oct. 16.
Fans can follow the meet results through Flash Results Texas A&M Invitational. All home meets are free to the public.
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