The Butler men are ranked No. 16 nationally in the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) preseason poll that was announced Tuesday, Sept. 1.
 
Head coach Matt Roe's Bulldogs return three men who ran at the 2025 NCAA Championships, headlined by William Zegarski, who finished 66^th nationally. He is joined by Brendan Thomas and Matteo Rosio among that group.
 
Butler finished 16^th at the 2025 NCAA Championships and 16^th in the final national coaches poll of the 2025 season.
 
Butler has earned six consecutive appearances in the NCAA Men's Cross Country Championships and won four of the past six BIG EAST Championships.
 
The Bulldogs were ranked third in the Great Lakes Region as the USTFCCCA released regional rankings Monday. Butler is the only BIG EAST team ranked among the Top 30 in the preseason national poll.
 
The Butler men and women open the 2026 season Friday evening at the Fighting Illini Invitational hosted by the University of Illinois.