FARMVILLE, Va. – Longwood's Director of Cross Country and Track and Field Brooke Craig announced the addition of nine freshmen to the program on Wednesday.
The Lancers look to build on the program's recent success, setting school records in the women's 4K, 5K and 6K events. Last fall, the women tied the program's best finish in Big South history, placing fifth among nine teams, while the men finished sixth. Entering the 2026 season, the women were picked fifth in the Big South Preseason Poll, while the men were selected sixth.
"We were able to add more depth to a program full of quality returners," Craig said of the additions. "Our focus was to find individuals with a growth mindset that fit our culture. Just from our first few weeks of preseason training, I feel really confident in what our squads are going to do this fall."
On the men's side, Jonah Bowman (Callaway, Va. / Franklin County), Wyatt McNiel (Ashburn, Va. / Stone Bridge), Shane Myers (Lansdale, Pa. / North Penn), and Owen Wratten (Leesburg, Va. / Heritage) join the Lancers.
Alexa Bergesen (Centreville, Va./Westfield),
Chloe Davis (Brooklyn, N.Y. / New Hanover),
Alina Kieffer (Winchester, Va. / James Wood),
Morgan Kimener Chesapeake, Va. / Hickory), and
Haylie Walker (Lorton, Va. / Hayfield) comprise the women's incoming class.
The teams begin their seasons Friday, September 4, in Spartanburg, South Carolina, beginning the road to the Big South Championship, which will be held Friday, October 30, in Spartanburg.
Here is a look at the Lancers' incoming group:
Fr.
Callaway, Va.
Franklin County
Bowman earned 11 letters in cross country and indoor and outdoor track at Franklin County High School. A cross country captain from 2023-25, he helped the team win a district championship in 2024 and earned 5A all-state and all-region honors. He also captained the indoor and outdoor track teams, winning district titles in the 3,200 meters and 1,000 meters and helping break school records in the 4x400 and 4x800-meter relays.
He qualified for the 2026 state championship in the 1,600 meters and finished among the region's top five in the 1,000 meters in 2025.
Fr.
Ashburn, Va.
Stone Bridge
McNiel lettered in cross country and track and field at Stone Bridge High School and captained his teams six times. A three-time state championship qualifier, he also earned a coaches award and helped set the school record in the 4x1,600-meter relay.
He was a regional medalist in the 4x800 meters as a junior and qualified for the state meet in the 800 meters as a senior.
Fr.
Lansdale, Pa.
North Penn
Myers ran cross country and indoor and outdoor track at North Penn High School, earning three letters in each. A co-captain, he also earned Most Improved and Athletic Director's Award honors.
He posted personal bests of 4:28 in the 1,600 meters and 9:27 in the 3,200 meters as a senior, while recording a 16:01 5K in cross country as a junior. He was also part of North Penn's 2026 PIAA state championship team.
Fr.
Leesburgh, Va.
Heritage
Wratten ran cross country and indoor and outdoor track at Heritage High School, earning 12 total letters. He competed at the national, Virginia state and Penn Relays meets and earned all-state honors in the 4x800-meter relay.
A cross country district champion, he competed at the state meet in the 4x800 three times and also ran the mile as a sophomore. As a junior and senior, he competed in the 4x800 at Penn Relays and Nike Nationals.
Fr.
Centreville, Va.
Westfield
Bergesen earned 12 total letters in field hockey, indoor track, outdoor track, soccer and cross country at Westfield High School. She earned all-district and all-region honors in cross country as a senior and posted a three-mile time of 18:39.
In track, she was named all-district, all-region, all-state and All-American, earning All-American honors in the 4x800-meter relay at Nike Nationals and helping break the school record in the 4x1,600-meter relay at New Balance Nationals. She also earned all-district honors in field hockey.
Fr.
Brooklyn, N.Y.
New Hanover
Davis earned 12 total letters in cross country and indoor and outdoor track and field at New Hanover High School. A team captain from 2024-26, she earned all-region and second-team all-conference honors in 2025.
She was also a two-time cross country coaches' award recipient and earned cross country MVP honors in 2022 and 2023. As a senior, she posted personal bests of 19:59 in the 5K, 11:56 in the 3,200 meters and 5:30 in the 1,600 meters.
Fr.
Winchester, Va.
James Wood
Kieffer earned 12 total letters in cross country and indoor and outdoor track and field at James Wood High School. She was named all-state and team MVP in indoor track as a sophomore. Her career-best 5K time of 19:23 came as a senior, when she also posted an indoor 1,600-meter best of 5:25.
Her top indoor 3,200-meter time was 11:27 as a sophomore, while her best outdoor 1,600-meter time was 5:22 that same season. She also posted a best of 11:34 in the outdoor 3,200 meters as a junior.
Fr.
Chesapeake, Va.
Hickory
Kimener earned 12 letters in cross country and indoor and outdoor track and field at Hickory High School. A two-year cross country captain, she also captained both track teams and earned team MVP honors in cross country in 2023. She was named all-state in all three disciplines in 2023 and again in outdoor track in 2025.
She holds a top-10 cross country time at Hickory and posted personal bests of 19:36 in the 5K and 11:46 in the 3,200 meters. She helped Hickory win regional championships in cross country in 2022 and indoor and outdoor track and field in 2023.
Fr.
Lorton, Va.
Hayfield
Walker earned 12 total letters in cross country and indoor and outdoor track and field at Hayfield Secondary School. A two-time team captain as a junior and senior, she earned the team's Most Outstanding Athlete Award as a junior and MVP honors as a senior.
She also won the Grit Award as a freshman. Her top times came as a junior, including 20:03 in the 5K, 19:50 in the three-mile, 5:32 in the 1,600 meters and 11:57 in the 3,200 meters.
#GoWood #HorsePower
