COLUMBIA, Mo. – After a tumultuous season of high-level racing, it has all come down to this. The auto-qualifiers have won their spots, the at-large bids have been handed out and the best-of-the-best will now converge on the Gans Creek Cross Country Course for what will assuredly be a race for the ages. 

In the men’s race, the team championship will likely fall down to the few talented squads that have become quite recognizable over the past 11 weeks, but individually, it is a wide-open field. Some familiar names top the lists, while others have sent shockwaves with their breathtaking performances, but the fact remains that whoever wins Saturday will unquestionably be the best in the country.

Here are some names to watch and learn before Saturday’s race.

Habtom Samuel – Junior – New Mexico

When making a list of potential Cross Country championship winners, one has to start with the two-time runner-up in the 2023 and 2024 seasons. A proven contender in both the NCAA and on the world stage, Samuel has captivated the running space with his fast times and willingness to take a race from the get-go. All that’s missing for the 21-year-old is a Cross Country championship to pair with his 10,000m title in Outdoor Track and Field from 2024.

However, despite his best efforts, the previous two seasons have shown there is a ceiling to what the junior can muster when it comes time to deliver. Thwarted twice over by now New Balance professional runner Graham Blanks, Samuel showed vulnerability in his close and kick to a finish. In 2023, the former Harvard athlete Blanks closed in 2:42 to beat out Samuel by three seconds in the final kilometer, whereas in 2024, it was a similar move, but a kilometer earlier, that forced the Eritrean to try and close a gap that was just too wide. To give credit where it’s due, Samuel had lost a shoe early on in 2024 and still managed to come second, but silver is still silver no matter how one gets it.

Now that his American rival has graduated, Samuel has gotten up to his usual body of work. Starting out at the infamous Nuttycombe Invitational, Samuel made the brutal championship course look easy, running a blazing 22:58.0 (8k) to take first. Then he followed that up with his third Mountain West conference title, throwing down a career best 22:32.0 (8k) for the win. Finally, this past week, he set the Mountain Regional ablaze, unchallenged as he crossed the line in 29:45.3 (10k), ahead of second place by 20 seconds, to punch his ticket to Missouri.

Ultimately, if one were to push his chips in and bet on a contender, the easy answer is Habtom Samuel.

Kelvin Cheruiyot – Freshman – Florida

It could be controversial, but when making picks on who to watch in cross-country, one has to consider momentum. There may not be another runner in the country who has more momentum than Kelvin Cheruiyot. The 24-year-old has just four cross-country races in the NCAA to his name, but in that short span, he has proven he is one to watch heading into Saturday’s race.

Having arrived in the US just four months ago, Cheruiyot has dispatched credible competition in his bid to become Florida’s first male national champion in Cross Country. Starting out his season in Columbia, the Kenyan phenom made his debut in the Gans Creek Classic, running an impressive 23:02.1 (8k) to come 16th in the championship preview. Just three weeks later, he stepped on Gans Creek grass once more, this time winning the Missouri Pre-National Invitational in 22:44.6 (8k). Cheruiyot then took his winning streak two steps further by winning the SEC and South Region titles in 23:08.3 (8k) and 29:09.1 (10k).

He is a proven winner on the national championship course, but now he has to do it against the best of the best. His limited experience could play a factor, yet one has to wonder if he has shown the limits of his altitude-training background, or if there is more left in the tank.

Either way, bet on Cheruiyot to make his presence felt on Saturday.

Solomon Kipchoge – Sophomore – Washington State

Choosing a third runner out of a packed list of talent was always going to be tricky, yet what trumps all in running is consistency. It has to be a factor when picking a potential champion. Thus, to round out the list of true contenders is the 29-year-old Solomon Kipchoge. 

Another running star from Kenya, Kipchoge has been one of the most active stars in division one running, producing stellar results across six races this season. Initially, one could argue that his teammate Evans Kurui should be on this list due to early-season head-to-head results, but since the Cougars left Washington, it has been all Kipchoge in the lead-up to the national championship. 

After second-place finishes in Washington State’s pair of season-opening races, Kipchoge began his strong run of form with a winning time of 22:24.7 (8k) at the Gans Creek Classic in September. Then, at Nuttycombe, the Kenyan took 2nd behind the aforementioned Samuel, running 23:05.6 (8k). Rounding out his resume are the WCC and West Region titles, with respectable times of 22:32.6 (8k) and 28:54.4 (10k).

As one of the oldest and most experienced racers this season, Kipchoge has showcased that he has a winning mentality paired with championship fitness. With a win on Saturday, the Kenyan will have put together a historic season to be sure, finishing no less than 2nd in seven Cross Country races.

Wildcards

• Rocky Hansen – Junior – Wake Forest

• • • Southeast Region (2025) – 1st – 29.10.4 (10k)
    • ACC Conference (2025) – 1st – 22:18.6 (8k)
    • National Championships (2024) – 100th – 29:55.7 (10k)

• Brian Musau – Junior – Oklahoma State

• • • Midwest Region (2025) – 17th – 30:47.7 (10k)
    • Big 12 Conference (2025) – 1st – 22:53.7 (8k)
    • National Championships (2024) – 5th – 28:44.9 (10k)
    • National Championships (2023) – 8th – 29.11.0 (10K)

• Dennis Kipngetich – Junior – Oklahoma State

• • Midwest Region (2025) – 1st – 29:42.8 (10k)
  • Big 12 Conference (2025) – 4th – 22:56.4 (8k)
  • National Championships (2024) – 11th – 29:00.4 (10k)
  • National Championships (2023) – 4th – 28:59.87 (10k)