WISE – The 2026 cross country season is just a few days away, and the South Atlantic Conference has released their Preseason Coaches Poll and Runners to Watch. Both teams placed ninth in the poll and the Runners to Watch for the Highland Cavs are Alexsis Porter, Shay Cannon, Dylan Colander, and Patton Shortt.

Wingate was picked to finish first in both polls. On the men's side Anderson was second, followed by Catawba, Lincoln Memorial, Lenoir-Rhyne, and Emory & Henry. Mars Hill was seventh, followed by Tusculum, UVA Wise, Carson-Newman, Newberry, and Coker. The women's poll has Catawba in second place, followed by Anderson, LMU, Lenoir-Rhyne, and Carson-Newman. Mars Hill was next, followed by Emory & Henry, UVA Wise, Tusculum, Newberry, and Coker.

Alexsis Porter returns for her senior season after setting personal bests last year in 4K and 5K meets and also posting a pair of third place finishes. The Grundy, Virginia, native had a time of 14:58.8 in the 4K VT Invitational and a time of 18:41.4 in the 5K Southern Showcase.

Shay Cannon, a junior from Bristol, Virginia, had a personal best time of 17:11.6 in the VT Invitational and had a time of 30:41.7 in the SAC Championship, which is a 6K event.

Dylan Colander, a sophomore from Waynesboro, VA, had five top 40 finishes last year, highlighted by a sixth place finish in the Royals Challenge, a tenth place finish in the SAC Championship Preview meet (both 8K), and a 35th place finish in the 10K SAC Championship Meet.

Fellow Sophomore Patton Shortt from Pound, Virginia, also made the list. He had three top 50 finishes last season, and had a time of 37:33.6 in the SAC Championship.

The teams open their season September 4 at the VT Invitational in Blacksburg. They will also compete in the Queen City Invite and Royals Challenge in Charlotte and the UAH Invitational in Huntsville, Alabama, in addition to the SAC Championship. This year's SAC Championship will be held at Wingate.