RANGELY, Colo. — Colorado Northwestern Community College Cross Country is taking its momentum to the national stage as six Spartans prepare to compete at the 2026 NJCAA Cross Country National Championships in Huntsville, Alabama, on November 14.

Haven Carr, Gabriel Gutierrez-Gleason, Johnnie Roane, Forrest Myers (Paco), Morgan Denning, and Joseph Valdez will represent CNCC at nationals following a season filled with personal bests, continued improvement, and growing confidence.

For the Spartans, earning the opportunity to compete in Huntsville represents another major step forward for the program. Throughout the season, CNCC's runners have continued to lower their times while raising the expectations they have for themselves and each other.

The Spartans have also begun receiving national recognition for that progress. CNCC was recently listed at No. 61 in the men's rankings published by Kailo XC Rankings. Three Spartans also earned individual recognition, with Carr ranked No. 302, Gutierrez-Gleason at No. 431, and Myers at No. 469.

For a developing program, earning a place in the national rankings is another sign of the progress being made. The recognition reflects the work the Spartans have put in throughout the season and gives the team another reason to believe in what it can accomplish moving forward.

That progress was also on display at the conference championships. With two of CNCC's top runners held out while managing injuries ahead of nationals, other members of the team stepped up and delivered major personal bests.

CNCC's sixth runner improved his time by approximately two and a half minutes at the conference championships, earning his opportunity to join the group traveling to Huntsville and bringing the Spartans' total number of national competitors to six.

Those performances showcased the growing depth of the CNCC program. The Spartans' improvement this season has not been limited to the athletes at the front of the pack. Runners throughout the lineup have continued to make progress and contribute to the team's development.

Under Head Coach Marki Grant, the season has focused on helping the Spartans recognize their potential and then putting in the consistent work necessary to reach it. That development can be seen not only in their times and results, but also in the confidence the runners now bring into competition.

With the national championships approaching, CNCC will turn its attention toward recovery, preparation, and making sure all six runners are ready to perform at their best in Huntsville.

Grant believes a top-50 team finish is within reach if the Spartans race to their capabilities.

Regardless of where CNCC ultimately finishes, the 2026 season has given the program plenty to build on. Six Spartans will compete at nationals, three runners have earned individual national rankings, the team has entered the national rankings, and athletes throughout the roster have recorded significant personal improvements.

On November 14, Carr, Gutierrez-Gleason, Roane, Myers, Denning, and Valdez will have the opportunity to put that progress on display against some of the best junior college runners in the country.

The Spartans also extend a heartfelt thank-you to the sponsors who have directly supported CNCC Cross Country this season: Grand Dental and Vision, Rangely District Hospital, Big D's, NAPA of Rangely, True Value of Rangely and Meeker, Blue Mountain Energy, GO Services, Bank of the San Juans Rangely, and W.C. Striegel, Inc.

Their generosity helps provide CNCC student-athletes with opportunities to train, travel, compete, and represent the college on the national stage. CNCC Cross Country thanks each of its sponsors for believing in the program and helping make the Spartans' journey to nationals possible.