JACKSON, Miss. — The Millsaps men's and women's cross country programs are ready to compete on the 2026 outdoor trails after returning seven experienced veterans and adding 10 newcomers all ready to compete during the Fall slate.

The Majors will be led by second-year head coach Brandon Beckett and first-year assistant coach Shana Sellers. Both coaches bring the mindset of wanting the best while finishing first at the 2026 Southern Athletic Association Championships on Oct. 31 in Sewanee, Tenn. With a strong freshman class and key veterans, the Majors have the pieces to place their name as a top team in sevel meets this season. 

On the men's side, junior Greer Hernandez is looking to continue pacing at the highest collegiate level of his career after finishing 26th with a time of 26 minutes and 35 seconds at the 2025 Southern Athletic Association Cross Country Championships.

Classmate Phillip Antis, another elite runner on the men's team to keep an eye on, finished his meet last season in the Mississippi College 5K Opener, sponsored by Southern Farm Bureau Life, with a 86th-place showing (19:36.6).

Sophomores Mason Castleberry and Dallas Stricker, for their second season; during the 2025 Fall Slate, Castleberry topped 58th at the MC 5K Opener on Sept. 5. 

Stricker kept the competitiveness going for the Majors last season, where he crossed the finish line in 27th (16:41.1) in Clinton, Miss., and Millsaps can expect great things from Stricker as he continues to lead over the rolling hills. 

Benjamin Sylve will also be rejoining the Majors. A native of Canton, Miss., competed in three meets in his first collegiate season, where he played a significant role in helping the Majors finish strong at the Rhodes Cross Country Invitational, the MC 5K Opener, and the City Auto Memphis Twighlight Classic.

The men's team will also consist of six freshmen, Jonathan Brister, Damaurien Graves, Ethan Hall, Om Patel, R.T. Tate, and Kameron Wilson, who will look to have great athletic careers at Millsaps College.

Focusing on the women's squad, juniors Claudia Dempsey and Taylor Sutton both will be taking charge as outstanding leaders. Dempsey was named to the 2025 SAA Fall All-Sportmanship Team for being a great role model to her teammates, while displaying strong leadership to show what Millsaps College means in sports across the country. 

During her sophomore campaign Dempsey ran close to home in the MC 5K Opener, where she owned the trails by finishing 26th (21:45.2). Sutton competed in two cross country meets last season. Major fans can expect more from her as she takes on the 2026 season.

Welcoming to the team and looking forward to some top finishes in their first collegiate season will be freshman Caitlyn Bounds, Marlina Jones, Lila Jane Sekinger, and Myla Walker. 

The Majors will compete in four regular-season meets throughout their fall slate ahead of postseason action. Millsaps will wrap up their 2026 regular-season schedule with another quick trip to Clinton for the Watson Collegiate XC Classic, hosted by Mississippi Christian University on Oct. 16. 
 
Postseason competition includes the 2026 Southern Athletic Association Cross Country Championships (Oct. 31) hosted by Sewanee. The teams will then race in the NCAA South Region Championships (Nov. 14) before elite qualifiers will run at the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships in Northfield, Minn. (Nov. 21).

2026 MILLSAPS MEN'S AND WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY SCHEDULES

To keep up to date with everything surrounding the Millsaps College men's and women's cross country programs follow the Majors on X and Instagram, like Millsaps Majors Athletics on Facebook and visit gomajors.com. 
 
Founded in Jackson, Mississippi in 1890, Millsaps College is a national liberal arts college dedicated to academic excellence, open inquiry and free expression, the exploration of faith to inform vocation and the innovative shaping of the social, economic and cultural progress of our region. Consistently ranked as one of the best values in higher education, Millsaps has been praised by Colleges That Change Lives, The Princeton Review, Forbes Magazine, U.S. News & World Report, The John Templeton Foundation, and The Fiske Guide to Colleges.