FLORENCE, Ala. (July 28, 2025) – The University of North Alabama men's and women's cross country programs announced the schedule for the 2025 season on Monday, July 28. The UNA schedule features four regular seasons races, all of which the Lions competed a season ago.

"The season is full of great courses and competition," said Head Coach Connor Callahan. "We are excited to continue building off of last season's results. Opening the season on our home course at McFarland is special. This gives us a chance to race on a course we are comfortable with after a long break. From there we get the chance to race in Huntsville where we will later host regionals. Southern Showcase has historically been a great race to compete in, and I am sure it will be the same this year. Heading back to Missouri is a big one; Gans Creek has over 80 teams entered and plenty of them will be back to race at Nationals in November. This will be one of the most competitive regular season races across the country this fall. These races along with a trip to Tuscaloosa will prepare us well for the ASUN Championships and Regionals."

Schedule 


Sept. 5             UNA Invitational                     McFarland Park                      Florence, Ala.
Sept. 12           Southern Showcase                John Hunt Park                        Huntsville, Ala.
Sept. 26           Gans Creek Classic                  Gans Creek Course                  Columbia, Mo.  
Oct. 17             Crimson Classic                       Harry Pritchett Running Park  Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Oct. 31             ASUN Championship              River City Nature Park             Jacksonville, Fla.
Nov. 14           NCAA South Regional             John Hunt Park                        Huntsville, Ala.
Nov. 22            NCAA Nationals                      Gans Creek Course                  Columbia, Mo.
 
 
BOLD: North Alabama hosts

NOTES

RUN IT BACK: The Lions competed in all six of these races a season ago, all the way down to the NCAA South Regional. North Alabama planned to race in the FSU Pre-Regional meet last year before weather pushed them to Missouri to race in the Gans Creek Classic. Now, Callahan and Co. look to run it back with familiar races to compete in as they host their own Invitational and travel to Huntsville for Jacksonville State's Southern Showcase. The Lions will test their abilities with some of the best in the country at the Gans Creek Classic and Crimson Classic hosted by SEC powerhouses Missouri and Alabama, respectively.

BETT ON IT: Last season, North Alabama freshman Brian Bett took the courses by storm. Bett broke his own 8k record four weeks in a row before officially setting the school record at the Gans Creek Classic with a time of 23:26.4; He also set the 10K school record at the NCAA South Regionals with a 30:34.9. The Eldoret, Kenya native had to create a new trophy shelf after winning the ASUN Runner of the Year, Freshman of the Year and earning First Team All-ASUN and All-Freshman team honors in 2024. Bett returns for his sophomore year as the UNA faithful look for him to create more history here in Florence.

EMERGING LEADERS:  Both the men's and women's team suffered significant losses to their teams. For the men, Noah Bonsall, Connor Jackson, Edan Jamieson, Adam Nipper and Mason Schrader all exit the program due to graduation. For the women, Ashlyn Anderson, Emily Daniel, Janeth Jepkirui, Gracie Mathews, Laura Mobley and Beth Ann Tucker all do the same. Callahan, of course, looks to Bett and Vincent Chepkwony to bolster the men's team. However, Jackson Hamlin, Aidan Shannon, Brent Lyons and Rogan Hanson all look to fill out the roster for a strong push in the ASUN again. For the women, Camille Etheridge and Aaliyah Charo become the top returners as Callahan also snagged Sandra Maiyo from Middle Tennessee out of the transfer portal. Maiyo, finished seventh at the CUSA Championship and 18th at the NCAA South Regional.

HOST SITE: The Lions host their own UNA Invitational for the seventh straight year. However, this is the first year since 2022 that North Alabama hosts the NCAA South Regional in Huntsville, Ala. at John Hunt Cross Country Course. The highest Lion to finish at that race was in 30th with a time of 30:40.00 as UNA finished 13th of the teams competing. Last year, the Lions finished 15th overall but Bett set the highest finish in program history at 20th. North Alabama brings the likes of Alabama, Auburn, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Florida State and more to Huntsville in 2025.

For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.