Blacksburg, Va. – The University of Notre Dame Cross Country team competed in the 2026 ACC Cross Country Championships on Friday, October 30, at the Buford Meredith Cross Country Course in Blacksburg, Virginia, a 3.1-mile course on the Virginia Tech campus.
Men’s Race
The No. 15 Notre Dame men’s team finished fourth at the 2026 ACC Cross Country Championships. In a rare occurrence, the start of the race was slightly delayed with two early starts before the starting gun fully fired that caused the race to restart twice. The Irish battled to the end in what was a competitive and dramatic finish as one point separated the difference between fourth and second, with Notre Dame finishing fourth with a team total of 95 while Virginia Tech and Syracuse recorded scores of 94, and the tiebreaker was decided by the finishes of Virginia Tech’s first, second and third runners who placed third, 13th and 16th to win.
The Irish’s top three runners in Daelen Ackley (22:57.7), Ethan Coleman (22:58.3) and Cameron Todd (22:59.7) finished a dominant sixth, seventh and eighth out scoring Syracuse and Virginia Tech’s first three runners. The Hokie and Orange fourth and fifth runners made up the ground they needed to charge in front of the Irish at the very end of the race. It was Ackley’s fourth straight race this season being the Irish’s top finisher. He has not finished lower than sixth this season. Kevin Sanchez finished 36th in 23:25.0. Drew Griffith finished 38th in 23:29.0. Notre Dame’s sixth and seventh finishers were Noah Bontrager (23:46.7), who finished 57th (23:53.0) and Max Douglass, who placed 65th.
Daelen Ackley – 6th (22:57.7)
Ethan Coleman – 7th (22:58.3)
Cameron Todd – 8th (22:59.7)
Kevin Sanchez – 36th (23:25.0)
Drew Griffith – 38th (23:29.0)
Noah Bontrager – 57th (23:46.7)
Max Douglass – 65th (23:53.0)
CJ Singleton – 80th (24:08.5)
Kellen Williams – 117th (24:53.6)
Jack Henzke – 124th (25:03.3)
Men’s ACC Championship Team Scores
- Wake Forest – 48
- Virginia Tech – 94
- Syracuse – 94
- Notre Dame – 95
- Stanford – 157
- Duke – 159
- North Carolina – 206
- Louisville – 246
- Virginia – 248
- Pittsburgh – 264
- Florida State – 278
- NC State – 333
- Boston College – 364
- Georgia Tech – 373
- Clemson – 377
- California – 458
- Miami – 541
Women’s Race
The No. 8 Notre Dame women's team finished sixth at the 2026 ACC Cross Country Championships. The battle for fourth was also highly competitive as it was decided by the difference of 12 points.
Mary Bonner Dalton was the top Irish performer for the third race this season as she finished 10th in 19:24.1. Gretchen Farley was the second Notre Dame finisher, placing 18th in 19:37.6. Chloe Huyler was 32nd in 19:59.2. Reagan Riley (20:10.9) and Addison Knoblauch (20:38.5) were the Irish’s fourth and fifth finishers, placing 43rd and 75th.
Mary Bonner Dalton – 10th (19:24.1)
Gretchen Farley – 18th (19:37.6)
Chloe Huyler – 32nd (19:59.2)
Reagan Riley – 43rd (20:10.9)
Addison Knoblauch – 75th (20:38.5)
Isabel Allori – 100th (21:03.9)
Mary Grace Hegberg – 110th (21:14.3)
Bridget Gallagher – 115th (21:28.0)
Women’s ACC Championship Team Scores
- NC State – 65
- Clemson – 113
- Virginia Tech – 125
- North Carolina – 161
- Duke – 165
- Notre Dame – 173
- Virginia – 200
- Boston College – 214
- Florida State – 221
- Wake Forest – 267
- Louisville – 278
- Syracuse – 290
- SMU – 310
- Stanford – 313
- Pittsburgh – 407
- California – 449
- Georgia Tech – 463
- Miami – 540