The 2026 Butler cross country season is set to begin Friday in East Lansing, Mich., as the Bulldogs make the drive north to compete in the Spartan Invitational hosted by Michigan State.
 
Friday serves as Butler's 2026 opener after the team decided not to compete at last weekend's Fighting Illini Invitational due to the expected high temperatures.
 
The women's 6k begins at 9 a.m., followed by the men's 8k at 9:30 a.m. The Forest Akers East Golf Course utilized for Friday's meet will also host the NCAA Great Lakes Regional Nov. 13.
 
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 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. Redshirt junior Sean Byrnes was part of the Bulldogs' 2024 squad at the national championships.
 
"We will hold out our four men who have national championship experience, along with three men who we expect to factor into our top seven moving forward," said Roe. "That said, there might be an individual from this weekend's meet who could be elevated into next week's elite meet at Indiana State. It will be fun to see how it all plays out.  We have a significant group of fit guys right now who are eager to earn the opportunity to help the team at the national level."
 
Bulldog men expected to compete Friday in East Lansing include returners Kyle Grove and Asher Propst. They are joined by a number of Bulldogs making their cross country debut for the program: graduate transfer Connor Latouf, redshirt freshmen Eli Ilg and Owen Whitney, and true freshmen Caelan D'Onofrio, Kayden Elliott, Sam Hopp, John Libs, and Mick Temple.
 
Butler's women finished sixth at the 2025 BIG EAST Championships and return several of their top performers from a young roster a season ago in Hannah Moore and Mckenna Mazeski; they are joined by a talented incoming recruiting class.
 
"This is a new-look team on the women's side," said Roe. "We have several freshmen making their Butler debuts along with a few key returners. Friday will be the first competitive step in what will be an exciting new era for our program."
 
Among that group expected to make their respective Butler debuts Friday in Michigan are Callie Bentley, Emily Berger, Hana Boggess, Susanne Estepp, and Caterina Perego. Poppy Healy will make her Butler cross country debut after arriving in Indianapolis mid-year for the 2026 track season.
 
Live results for Friday's races will be available through Superior Timing.