University of Colorado Athletics
Cross Country Hits The Ground Running At Fall Sports Media Day
August 15, 2026 | Cross Country
BOULDER — Colorado Cross Country previewed its 2026 season at the 73rd annual Fall Sports Media Day on Friday. Head coach Sean Carlson and seniors Abbey (Nechanicky) Mathison and Isaiah Givens represented the program.
"We're excited to get the cross country season started," Carlson said. "We return the big pieces from our roster last year, and we added a lot of new additions. We finished 10th in the country on the men's side last year and 13th on the women's side, and I think we're significantly improved from a year ago today."
Mathison and Givens both competed in the NCAA Championships last season, finishing 76th and 88th, respectively. As tenured leaders in this program, the two student-athletes have high expectations for this upcoming season. More than anything else, they can't wait to race alongside their best friends.
"I absolutely love the guys on the team. I've been with some of them for five full years, so it's hard to let that go," Givens said. "On top of that, the support we get from the university, the access to facilities, they give us absolutely everything we need, and I don't think you could find that anywhere else."
Colorado cross country's appeal extends even beyond the team and the university. Training in Boulder is a rare experience that helps prepare the student-athletes to compete.
"Boulder is the running mecca of the world," Mathison said. "You see professional athletes here and out on the roads. They'll give us a 'Sko Buffs.' We have a whole community behind us, and you don't see that across the country. The endless trails and dirt roads — you never get sick of the flatirons. The City of Boulder, the community, and the team we have here make it a pretty ideal place to train and thrive, not only as a runner, but as a student-athlete in general. I think all the athletes here today would agree with that."
The Buffs race in their first meet on Sept. 4 in Cheyenne, Wyo.
For more information on Colorado Cross Country, please visit cubuffs.com/sports/cross-country.
