SHAWNEE – After posting one of the best seasons in school history last year, the Oklahoma Baptist men's cross country team will make its first run of the season at the Rogers State Distance After Dark at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 3 in Tulsa.
The Bison were selected to finish third in the Great American Conference this year after coming off a second-place showing in last year's GAC Championships. OBU advanced to the NCAA Central Regional where it finished seventh, and earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Division II Championships for the first time in program history.
Oklahoma Baptist returns a pair of First Team All-GAC performers in
Emery Crayton and
Zachary Williams. Crayton took fifth at the meet with a personal-best 24:14.18, while Williams was 10th with a personal-best 24:38.41. The Bison also return Second Team All-GAC selections
Levi Haynes and
Elijah White.
OBU will also be buoyed by the additions of
Korban Murphy and
Brody Woodcock, who both transferred from the University of Tulsa. Murphy ran during the indoor and outdoor track seasons, but did not compete for the Bison in cross country.
Oklahoma Baptist finished fourth at least year's Rogers State Distance After Dark meet, paced by a ninth-place finish from
Josh Kearse.
Logan Austin finished 30th in the 120-man field.
OBU is scheduled to run in four regular-season meets before heading to the GAC Championships on Nov. 7. This year's Central Regional takes place on Nov. 21 at Yankton Trail Park in Sioux Falls, SD. The 2026 NCAA Division II National Championships are set for Dec. 4 in Lawrence, KS.
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