Joplin, MO – For the first time in program history and in just the fourth year since the program’s inception, Mid-America Christian University (MACU) took home the NCCAA Division I Men’s Cross Country national championship, winning the 2026 8,000-meter race on Friday, November 13.

The Evangels tied the NCCAA record for lowest team score in an NCCAA DI Men’s Cross Country National Championship race with 19 points, the same amount scored by Grace College when they set the record in 2021. Four of the top five runners were from MACU, with Abdulsalam Farah winning the individual championship with a time of 24:53.2.

Malone University finished second with 53 points, while College of the Ozarks finished third with 98 points. Merritt Suenram of MACU was named Coach of the Year.

Highlights:

• Mohamed Guled followed his teammate Farah to finish second at his first-ever NCCAA National Championship to earn All-American honors with a time of 24:55.2. Teammates Kaydon Payne and Mohamed Zairi finished fourth and fifth, respectively, to clinch four of the top five spots for the Evangels, as Payne finished the race in 25:07.2, while Zairi finished at a time of 25:11.4, both new personal bests. Teagan Nelson also earned All-American accolades for MACU, finishing seventh with a personal best time of 25:16.6. The five NCCAA All-Americans are the most for Mid-America Christian in program history.
• Nolyn Corder made it the sixth straight year that a College of the Ozarks Bobcat has earned All-American honors, earning a podium placement with a third-place finish with a personal best time of 24:57.8. His teammate Carson Knight also earned All-American accolades, finishing ninth with a time of 25:21.7, beating his old personal best by over 50 seconds.
• Tes Young was the top finisher for Malone, finishing sixth with a personal best time of 25:14.6. His fellow Pioneer, Brylan Holland, also earned an All-American spot, finishing eighth at 25:19.2, also a personal best.
• Kayden Chaparro of Southwestern Christian University closed out the top-10 with a time of 25:23.3, beating his old personal best by over one minute, and becoming the first NCCAA DI Men’s Cross Country All-American in school history.

Results from the NCCAA Division I Men’s 8,000-meter race can be found here. A full list of award winners can be found here.

About the NCCAA
Established in 1968, the National Christian College Athletic Association uses intercollegiate athletics to further the Great Commission and is committed to equipping student-athletes and coaches to make a positive impact for Christ. The NCCAA currently holds 24 national championship events for 86 member schools across 28 states and Ontario, Canada. For more information on the NCCAA, visit our website, thenccaa.org, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter/X, and Instagram at @thenccaa.