LIVINGSTON, Ala. – The University of West Alabama men's and women's cross-country teams are set to begin the 2026 season this Saturday night in Memphis, Tennessee.
The Tigers open the new season with many returning runners and a few new additions across both squads. The men's team returns ten runners from last season and adds one newcomer, while the women's team brings back three runners from the 2025 campaign and adds two transfers.
On the men's side, Lorenzo Pelusi and Jonathan Phillips lead the returning group after being named to the Gulf South Conference Runners to Watch List ahead of the 2026 season.
Pelusi enters his sophomore season after competing in six meets during his first collegiate cross-country campaign. He recorded career-best times of 25:29.4 in the 8K and 34:33.4 in the 10K during the 2025 season.
Phillips returns for another season after competing in six meets last fall. He recorded a career-best 8K time of 26:27.9 at the GSC Championships before setting another personal best in the 10K at the NCAA South Region Championships with a time of 35:10.6.
Mathis Breton, Julian Council, Sha'Kenye Darden, Ray Englebert, Avante Mackey, Marcum Northcutt, Wilbur Valencia-Nava and Evan Young round out the returning group for the Tigers. The men's team also welcomes freshman Harvey Anderson to the 2026 roster.
The women's team returns a group led by Rita Walker, Miriam Dominguez-Tellez, and Laurel Morse. Walker and Dominguez-Tellez were both named to the GSC Runners to Watch List.
Walker enters her senior season after setting career-best marks in both the 5K and 6K during the 2025 campaign. She posted a 20:01.8 in the 5K at the Chile Pepper Festival before recording a 23:52.8 in the 6K at the GSC Championships.
Dominguez-Tellez also returns for her senior season after recording career-best times in both events last fall. The Demopolis native posted a 19:49.8 in the 5K at the Chile Pepper Festival before finishing the GSC Championships with a 23:31.8 in the 6K.
Morse enters her junior season after setting career-best times of 21:58.8 in the 5K and 25:34.8 in the 6K last season.
The Tigers also add a pair of transfers to the women's roster in Grace Gosline and Abigail Vega, both coming to UWA from Wallace State Community College.
West Alabama will begin the 2026 season Saturday night at the Memphis Twilight, hosted by the University of Memphis. The women's race is scheduled for 9:15 p.m., followed by the men's race at 10 p.m.
Following the season opener, UWA will compete at the Southern Showcase in Huntsville on Sept. 18 before traveling to Fayetteville, Arkansas, for the Chile Pepper XC Festival on Oct. 3.
The Tigers will return to Huntsville for the Chargers XC Invitational on Oct. 24 before closing the regular season at the Gulf South Conference Championships on Nov. 7 in Nashville, Tennessee.
The Tigers will look to begin the 2026 season on a strong note Saturday night in Memphis.
