MOSCOW, Idaho - Director of Track and Field Tracy Hellman and the Idaho cross country team took a massive step towards the new season Monday by announcing their 2026 schedule. 

"We are excited to announce our 2026 cross country schedule. We have a mix of regional and national level opportunities to challenge our athletes this fall.  A bonus this year is the opportunity to race multiple times in Spokane at the newly constructed state-of-the-art course developed specifically for championship cross country meets. Our schedule is always built towards championship season, and we hope to be hitting our peak at the Big Sky Championships this fall, held in Flagstaff. Again, excited for the opportunity this season presents."

The Black and Gold are less than two months from their opening meet, the Clash of the Inland Northwest, which is set to be hosted by Gonzaga University in Spokane on Friday, September 4. UI has begun its season in the Spokane area for each of the last four seasons, facing off against the nationally ranked hosts, Big Sky foes Eastern Washington, NAIA squad Lewis Clark State, and a collection of local community colleges. 

Idaho's season will continue in Missoula, Montana, on September 18, at the Montana Invite, where the Vandals will test their best against top Big Sky talent. UI is tentatively set to run on the first two weekends of October at the Whitworth Invite in Spokane (Saturday, October 3) and the University of Oregon's Bill Dellinger Invite (Friday, October 9), before returning to the Palouse for their final regular season test at the Lewis Clark State Invitational in Lewiston on Saturday, October 17. 

The campaign reaches its peak on Friday, October 30, when Idaho joins the rest of the Big Sky Conference in Flagstaff, Ariz., for the 2026 Conference Championship at Northern Arizona, before traveling to Sacramento to compete in the NCAA West Regional, where UI will attempt to qualify for the NCAA Championship (Saturday, November 21) in ​​Terre Haute, Ind.

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To stay up to date with Idaho Cross Country, follow the team on Instagram (IdahoTrack), X (IdahoTFXC), and visit GoVandals.com.