SETTING THE SCENE
The Cardinals placed sixth in the Empire 8 Conference Championship and 16th in the NCAA Niagara Regional Championship in 2025.
Jace Stuart, who graduated in May, was the Cardinals’ lone All-Empire 8 Conference performer last season. He placed eighth in the E8 Championship 8k with a time of 26:44.0 to earn first-team All-Conference accolades. He ended the season with a 32nd-place finish at regionals.
Fisher’s roster this season will be youthful with eight underclassmen – four freshmen and four sophomores – compared to just two upperclassmen, both juniors. Landon Wertz, who placed 40th in the Empire 8 Championship 8k last season as a sophomore, is the Cardinals’ top returning runner.
The 2026 season will mark the Cardinals’ first under Trisha Byler, who recently became Fisher’s head cross country coach.
RUNNERS TO WATCH
Landon Wertz, Jr. – Wertz recorded his top career 8k time last season, finishing the Houghton Course in 27:28.8. He placed 40th in the Empire 8 Championship 8k at 28:32.0.
Connor Stanton, Jr. – Stanton dashed to a personal best 6k time of 21:53.2 in the Fisher-Rodenbeck Invite last season. He recorded a personal best 8k time of 27:29.3 in the Empire 8 XC Championships as a freshman in 2024.
DID YOU KNOW?
Stuart, one of the top runners in program history, set Fisher’s 8k record last season with a time of 25:14.20 in the Rowan Inter-Regional Border Battle.
LINKS
Team Webpage – Schedule, Roster, Coaching Staff, Record Book
St. John Fisher Cross Country Instagram
St. John Fisher Cross Country Team Video
