HOUSTON – St. Thomas Men's and Women's Cross Country teams are set for another exciting season as Head Coach Walt Yarrow enters his third year as the Leader of the program. Following one of the most successful seasons in recent program history, the Celts return a talented group of runners looking to build on last fall's momentum and compete for conference championships.
The men's team is coming off a historic seaon after finishing runner-up at the 2025 SCAC Championships and placing 11th out of 30 teams at the NCAA Division III West Regional Championships. On the women's side, the Celts continued their steady climb by earning a fifth-place finish at the SCAC Championships while producing the program's first-ever women's All-SCAC honoree.
Season Overview
The Celts begin the 2026 season on September 11 at the 50th Rice Invitational in Houston, the only regular-season meet in which they'll have the opportunity to compete in their home city. After they will t avelto Kerrville for the Mountaineer Hill Country Invitational, hosted by Schreiner University, on September 19.
The Celts will then face one of the nation's premier regular-season meets at the Chili Pepper Cross Country Festival on October 3 in Fayetteville, Arkansas, before making their annual trip to the DBU Old Glory Gallop in Dallas on October 17.
The postseason begins on October 31 as the Celts travel to Colorado Springs, Colorado, for the SCAC Championships, hosted by Colorado College. From there, St. Thomas will compete at the NCAA Division III West Regional Championships on November 14 in Spokane, Washington, with hopes of advancing to the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships on November 21 in Northfield, Minnesota.
Running with the Celts
The men's squad returns a strong core of talent led by senior Micah Hampton, junior Johnathan Castro, and sophomore Elijah Emerson. Castro continues to be one of the conference's top distance runners after earning All-SCAC honors during his career, while Hampton provides veteran leadership for a team with championship aspirations.
Emerson enters his sophomore season after an outstanding freshman season. Last year he earned the 2025 SCAC First-Year Runner of the Year honors. Following the SCAC Conference tournament, he also posted a great performance at the NCAA West Regional Championships, finishing 25th overall to cap off one of the top debut seasons in program history.
The women's team returns an experienced trio in senior Alejandra Ramon, senior Elyssa Rodarte, and sophomore Keyanna Brown. Ramon made history last season by finishing 10th at the SCAC Championships, becoming the first women's runner in program history to earn All-SCAC honors in cross country. Rodarte brings veteran leadership and consistency to the lineup, while Brown returns after an impressive freshman season and is expected to make an immediate impact once again.
With a talented group of returners and another promising recruiting class joining the program, both the men's and women's teams are poised to continue their upward trajectory under Coach Yarrow. "Last season established a strong foundation for our program, but it also raised the expectations for what's ahead," said Yarrow. "We return the majority of our roster, with a talented group of athletes who gained valuable experience competing throughout the season. Our senior class has embraced the responsibility of leading by example and continues to set the standard through accountability, hard work, and a commitment to one another. We're excited about the opportunities in front of us and look forward to taking another step forward as we compete for conference and regional success."
Save the Date!
The Celts will once again compete against some of the top programs in the region while preparing for another run at the SCAC Championships and NCAA postseason. To view the complete schedule, click here! Fans can follow the teams throughout the season by visiting USTCelts.com and following @ustxctf on Instagram for schedules, results, and updates.
