Boston College’s women’s cross country team opens its 2026 season Saturday in a loaded field at the John McNichols Invitational in Terre Haute, Indiana.
The Eagles will line up at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course for the women’s 6k championship, which is scheduled to start at 8:30 a.m. EST. It’s the program’s first appearance in the meet under Director and Head Coach Pete Watson.
The course, named for former Indiana State head coach John McNichols, brings a little of everything: uphill and downhill stretches, plus a long straightaway to open the race that runs nearly a kilometer before the first turn. It’s also no stranger to big-stage racing. The site has hosted 13 NCAA Division I National Championships and will be the home of the 2026 NCAA Cross Country Championships in November.
Boston College steps into the season ranked No. 28 in the USTFCCCA Division I Preseason National Coaches’ Poll. The Eagles also enter as the No. 1 team in the Northeast Region after winning the Northeast Regional title and advancing to the NCAA Championships last season.
The meet’s field is deep, with 35 Division I teams entered. Eight of those teams are nationally ranked, including four inside the top 10. Boston College will also face two ACC opponents in Stanford and Louisville.
The full field includes Air Force, Boston College, California Baptist, Colorado, Earlham, Eastern Kentucky, Florida, Georgia, Harvard, Indiana, Indiana State, IU Indy, Kennesaw State, Lake Land College (Ill.), Lipscomb, Louisville, Michigan State, Montana State, Navy, NJIT, Northern Arizona, Northwestern, Purdue, Rio Grande (Ohio), Rose-Hulman, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Santa Clara, Stanford, Toledo, UIC, UIndy, UT Martin, Utah, Utah Valley, Vincennes, Washington, Washington State, WashU, Weber State, West Virginia, Western Illinois, and Wisconsin.
Boston College’s lineup for the race includes Kyleen Brady, Maeve Casey, Eimear Cooney, Claire Daniels, Ella Fadil, Imogen Gardiner, Mabel George, Gabrielle Hamel, Nicola Hogg, Hanna Hollins, Zoe Honeybrook, Logan Kuhn, Maria Linton, Annabelle Miller, Natalie Millerova, and Rosalie Ten Bruggencate.
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