PITMAN, NJ – The conference is looking forward to another competitive season of cross country, as the season kicks off this weekend.
Four of the top six teams in the USTFCCCA Metro Region Preseason Poll call the NJAC home entering the 2026 season, with TCNJ checking in at No. 2, Rowan at No. 3, Stockton at No. 5, and Ramapo at No. 6.
Seven of the nine conference teams open this weekend, including Kean, New Paltz, Ramapo, Rowan, Rutgers-Camden, Rutgers-Newark, and Stockton. Montclair State and TCNJ open their seasons on Friday, Sept. 11.
The NJAC Championship is set for Saturday, Oct. 31 at TCNJ's Green Lane course, with the women's 6K race starting at 10:30 AM, followed by the men's 8K at 11:15.
The NCAA Metro Regional Championship follows on Nov. 14 in Bethlehem, PA, at Lehigh, while New Paltz will compete the same day in the Mideast Regional in Manchester, CT.
The NCAA Championship is slated for Nov. 21 at the Carleton College Bill Huyck Championship Cross Country Course in Northfield, MN.
Two major regular season meets to keep an eye on are the Paul Short Run at Lehigh on Friday, Oct. 2 and the Border Battle hosted by Rowan in Logan Township on Saturday, Oct. 17, with the majority of conference teams getting a look at each other prior to the NJAC Championship. TCNJ will also compete in the Connecticut College Invitational on Oct. 17, which features a competitive ranked field of teams.
KEAN
Kean returns its top runner from a year ago in Sarah Knoetig, who finished 37th at last year's NJAC meet behind a big personal-record performance, beating her previous best by over a minute. Alyssa Sealey, back for her sophomore season, shaved more than three minutes off her time with a huge PR at last year's regional championship, while Jacqueline Shimko made steady gains as a rookie, running a nearly two-minute PR at NJACs before breaking it again two weeks later at regionals.
Key Meet(s) to Watch: NJIT Invitational
Head Coach Danielle Todman: "We are in the season of preparation. Season of preparing the promise that is for them and in them! This season is developing and sharpening them to carry the promise!"
MONTCLAIR STATE
Montclair State finished fifth in team standings a year ago and returns three of its top four finishers from last year's NJAC meet, even after graduating NJAC First Teamer and All-Region runner Abigail Churchill. Liliana Snyder (33rd overall, the team's second finisher) ran a career-best 24:38 at Rowan's Border Battle, Cecile Bernard (34th overall as a rookie) closed her first season with a personal-record 24:23 at regionals, and Jordan Bohrer (38th overall) trimmed almost a minute off her time with a 24:29 PR at the regional championship.
Newcomers to Watch: Madison Bernhard, Sophia Painter, Julia Jablonska
Key Meet(s) to Watch: Paul Short Invitational, Rowan Border Battle
Head Coach Rich O'Connor: "The depth of our squad will be our strength this fall as we look to have a very tight back of 10-12 runners vying for top 7 by the end of the season. A strong returning group mixed with a great incoming class has us very excited for the season with the hope of finishing in the top 10 in the Metro Region for the first time in school history."
NEW PALTZ
New Paltz enters its first season in the NJAC after placing sixth in the SUNYAC and 17th in the Mideast Region a year ago. Orquidea Briceno, an All-SUNYAC Third Team selection in 2025 and First Team honoree in 2024, placed 11th at last year's SUNYAC Championship as the Hawks' top finisher with a career-best 6K of 22:53. Marcela Figueroa, New Paltz's fourth finisher (31st overall) a season ago, also set career bests in both the 5K and 6K last year, closing with a personal record at the SUNYAC Championship.
Newcomers to Watch: Olivia Kruppo (FR; Delhi, NY/Delaware Academy), Brooke Rosenburg (SO; Smithtown, NY/Smithtown East)
Key Meet(s) to Watch: Paul Short Invitational, Rowan Border Battle
Head Coach Thomas Hartnett: "Good mix of upper-class students and younger first year. Looking to improve last year in the regionals finish."
RAMAPO
Ramapo finished fourth as a team at last year's NJAC Championship and enters 2026 ranked sixth overall and fourth in the NJAC in the USTFCCCA Metro Region preseason poll. The Roadrunners return the conference's top runner in Dale Leonard, a three-time NJAC All-Conference First Team selection and NCAA Championship qualifier who finished second at last year's NJAC meet. Behind her, Kiera Gregory, Brooke Meberg and Jasmin Silva-Vargas went 22nd, 23rd and 24th overall at NJACs, respectively, with all three running career bests at last year's regional championship — Meberg's 23:17 effort came just short of All-Region status, and she's looking to make that jump this fall. Rea Pagatpatan, a top-30 finisher at NJACs, also cracked the 25-minute barrier with a career-best mark at regionals.
Key Meet(s) to Watch: Rowan Border Battle, Metro Region Championship
Head Coach Justina Cassavell: "Looking to improve as the season progresses. Looking to form a solid pack behind Dale and finish better than we did last season."
ROWAN
Rowan enters the season as the reigning NJAC team champion, ranked third overall and second in the NJAC in the USTFCCCA Metro Region preseason poll, and returns four of its top seven runners from a year ago — including three All-Conference honorees. First Team All-Conference selection Shannon Stakelbeck (4th overall, the Profs' top finisher at NJACs) leads the group, joined by Second Team honorees Jezena Aponte (10th overall, All-Region) and Ally Wernik (14th overall, All-Region). Zoey Doelling, a top-20 finisher at NJACs, and Emily Zanni, who earned All-Region status at the NCAA Metro Regional Championship, round out the returning core. The Profs do graduate NJAC champion, Metro Region Athlete of the Year and NCAA qualifier Gabriella Pagano, but bring back a veteran group to build around.
Key Meet(s) to Watch: Paul Short Invitational (Fri., Oct. 2), Rowan Border Battle (Sat., Oct. 17)
Head Coach Shedrick Elliott III: "Excited for this veteran group to lace up their xc spikes, pack up, and get the xc season going, while also seeing a few individuals continue to take another step in their overall development."
RUTGERS-CAMDEN
Rutgers-Camden returns its top runner from a season ago in Dejia Roberts, who was the Scarlet Raptors' top finisher at last year's NJAC Championship meet (32nd overall). Roberts showed steady improvement throughout her rookie campaign, running faster in each consecutive meet and coming within six-tenths of a second of the 25-minute barrier by the time regionals rolled around — a trajectory the program hopes continues into 2026.
Newcomers to Watch: Shanice Bostic (Camden, NJ/Eastside)
Key Meet(s) to Watch: Paul Short Invitational, Rowan Border Battle
Head Coach Jill Chestnut: "The women's side is growing and includes several promising freshmen and sophomores. Dejia Roberts will continue her campaign as our top runner and a stand out in the conference."
RUTGERS-NEWARK
Rutgers-Newark brings a young, first-time roster to the cross country course in 2026. Sophomore Daisy Lopez looks to lead the way in her first season running cross country after competing in middle-distance events for both indoor and outdoor track as a rookie last year, highlighted by a third-place finish in the 1500 — her longest event of the year — at the Queens Knights Invite in April. She is joined by a handful of teammates who also ran the sprints or mid-distances last year. The Scarlet Raiders also bring in several freshmen as part of a roster building depth and experience.
Newcomers to Watch: Daisy Lopez (SO; North Bergen, NJ/North Bergen), Jillian Joseph (FR; Westfield, NJ/Westfield)
Head Coach Joel Williams: “We have a young group working to build for the future.”
STOCKTON
Stockton enters the season ranked fifth overall and third in the NJAC in the USTFCCCA Metro Region preseason poll while regrouping after graduating its top three runners — all three All-Conference honorees — in Kayla Kass, Madelyn Valasek and Rachel Hayes. Evey Austin, the team's top returner after finishing 16th overall at last year's NJACs, ran a 23:18 personal record at regionals, just a few spots outside All-Region status and looking to make that jump this year. Maddy Pratt (26th overall, the team's fifth scorer a year ago) also PR'ed at regionals with a 24:19, while Sophia Cornell (27th overall) broke the 24-minute barrier with a 23:43 to close her rookie season, and Sarah Rutledge (29th overall) posted a 24:21 PR at the regional meet.
Newcomers to Watch: Adrianna Zitzner (FR; Manahawkin, NJ/Southern Regional), Cailyn Wenger (FR; Bayville, NJ/Central Regional), Paulina Lewczuk (FR; Old Bridge, NJ/Old Bridge)
Key Meet(s) to Watch: Osprey Open, Rowan Border Battle
Head Coach Claire Incantalupo: "We return four of our top seven runners from last season and are excited to add a talented group of freshmen who will have the opportunity to make an immediate impact. With a strong core of returning leadership and an exciting young group stepping into bigger roles, this season will be about building momentum, developing our depth, and continuing to raise the standard of our program."
TCNJ
TCNJ enters the season ranked as the top NJAC team and second overall in the USTFCCCA Metro Region preseason poll after finishing as both the NJAC runner-up and Metro Region runner-up a season ago. The Lions return a loaded top group led by two-time First Team All-Conference selection Naesha Gadie, who finished third overall last year and qualified for the NCAA Championships. Reigning NJAC Rookie of the Year Teagan Walker, a First Team All-Conference and All-Region honoree who finished seventh overall as a freshman, and Second Team All-Conference pick Ava Biemuller (13th overall, All-Region) round out the group.
Newcomers to Watch: Brenna Traverso (FR; West Milford, NJ/West Milford), Alexis Smith (FR; Clifton, NJ/Clifton)
Key Meet(s) to Watch: Paul Short Invitational, Connecticut College Invite
Head Coach Justin Lindsey: "We look to win the NJAC title and make a run at the NCAA Metro region title. The goal is to build off of our 2nd place finish at the NCAA Regional Meet last year."