The Southern Athletic Association released its 2026 preseason cross country polls, with Millsaps College’s men’s team ranked eighth and the women’s team ninth out of nine teams.
The men’s poll was led by Trinity University, which received 72 points and eight first-place votes. Centre College was second with 62 points and one first-place vote. Berry College was third with 59 points, while Millsaps received 25 points in eighth place. The 2025 SAA men’s champion was not specified in the poll release.
On the women’s side, Trinity also was the top team, earning 72 points and eight first-place votes. Centre was second with 63 points and one first-place vote. Millsaps was predicted to finish ninth with 18 points, but head coach Brandon Beckett expressed optimism about the upcoming season. The team will begin its fall schedule at the Mississippi Christian 5K Opener on Sept. 4 in Clinton, Mississippi.
Last season, Millsaps’ teams finished in the top 30 at the conference championships, and the college continues to focus on development and competitive improvement. The full preseason rankings reflect the league’s expectations heading into the 2026 season.
For updates on the Millsaps cross country programs, fans are encouraged to follow the team on X and Instagram, like Millsaps Majors Athletics on Facebook, and visit gomajors.com. Millsaps College, founded in 1890 in Jackson, Mississippi, is a private liberal arts college recognized for academic excellence and social engagement.
