CARMEL, Ind. – The Fightin' Engineers have been voted to finish in third place in the 2026 HCAC Preseason Poll.
 
The Fightin' Engineers accumulated 63 points as a team, tying with Transylvania. The team is coming off a fourth-place finish at last year's HCAC Championships, and they would also record fourth-place finishes at the Sam Bell Invitational and Nike XC Town Twilight.
 
Reigning HCAC Champions Manchester finished as the heavy favorites, securing eight first-place votes, totaling 80 points. Hanover added a second-place finish with 66 points, including the final first-place vote.
 
Head Coach Derick Lawrence returns for his fifth season at the helm, where he has led Rose-Hulman to top five finishes at the HCAC Championships in every season. He returns his top two runners from last year in seniors Jocelyn Onstot and Brianna Bittel.
 
Onstot recorded a second-place finish at the HCAC Championships, with a time of 22:50.74. She earned All-HCAC First Team honors for the second time, having previously been named an All-HCAC First Teamer during the 2023 season. Bittel also earned all-conference honors as she was named an All-HCAC Honorable Mention. She finished the HCAC Championships with a 15th-place finish, recording a time of 24:22.51.
 
The Fightin' Engineers will open the season at the Franklin Grizzly Invitational on Saturday, September 5 at 10 AM.
 
HCAC PRESEASON POLL RESULTS:

1. Manchester – 80 (9)
2. Hanover – 66 (1)
3. Rose-Hulman – 63
4. Transylvania – 63
5. Franklin – 41
6. Mt. St. Joseph – 40
7. Berea – 36
8. Anderson – 24
9. Bluffton – 20
10. Earlham – 17