MARTINEZ, Ga. – The Lander women's cross country team will enter the 2026 season ranked fifth in the Peach Belt Conference preseason poll, according to a vote of the league's coaches.

The Bearcats return one of the top performers in program history in Carly Fuel, who established herself among the conference and region's best during the 2025 campaign. Fuel became Lander's first All-Peach Belt Conference selection in 16 years and its first NCAA Southeast All-Region finisher since 1999.

Fuel also rewrote the Lander record book last season, breaking a 30-year-old program record in the 5K with a time of 18:20.38 at McAlpine Creek Park on Oct. 13. The Bearcats will have another opportunity to race on the course this season when they compete in the Royals XC Challenge on Oct. 9.

Lander's 2026 schedule features eight meets, with seven taking place in South Carolina or North Carolina. The season begins Sept. 4 at the Bruins XC Night hosted by Bob Jones before the Bearcats head to the Furman Invitational on Sept. 12.
The Blue and Gold will then compete at the Tryon Collegiate Invitational on Sept. 25 before returning to McAlpine Creek Park for the Royals XC Challenge on Oct. 9.

Lander will close the regular season with a pair of meets in South Carolina, beginning with the Upstate Invitational on Oct. 17 at Milliken Arboretum. The Bearcats will then compete at the Coker Invitational on Oct. 23 in Darlington, S.C.

The Upstate Invitational will give Lander a preview of the NCAA Southeast Regional course before the Bearcats return to Milliken Arboretum for the NCAA Southeast Regional Championships on Nov. 21.

The postseason begins with the PBC Championships on Nov. 7 at Middle Georgia State in Macon, Ga.