The Medgar Evers College cross country teams opened the 2026 season with a series of performances that have already made their mark in program history. Through the first two meets of the campaign, the Cougars have produced two top-five performances in the program's all-time 5K record book, shattered the school's 8K record, and posted multiple significant personal bests. Led by a young and developing group, Medgar Evers has shown steady progress from its season-opening 5K to its first 8K, providing an encouraging foundation for the remainder of the season.
September 12, 2026 – Back to the Bowl Invitational – Men's Cross Country
The Medgar Evers College men's cross country team opened its 2026 campaign with an encouraging showing at Stevens Back to the Bowl Invitational hosted by Stevens Institute of Technology. The team competed in the 5K, highlighted by two performances that immediately found their way into the program's record book.
Freshman Brandon Walker made an immediate impact in his collegiate debut, racing to the fourth-fastest 5K performance in Medgar Evers College history with a time of 20:53.3. His performance provided an early glimpse of the potential he brings to the Cougars' young distance group.
Sophomore David Chisolm followed closely behind with another historic performance, recording the fifth-fastest 5K time in program history with a mark of 21:58. Having already contributed to the Cougars' distance program during the track season, David's opening cross country performance represents another significant step forward in his development.
Matthew Fleming also provided a bright spot for the Cougars, opening the season with a new personal record in the 5K of 27:19.3.
With two athletes moving into the top five on Medgar Evers' all-time 5K list and another establishing a personal best, the Cougars leave their season opener with plenty to build upon. For a young men's squad still developing its identity and learning the demands of collegiate cross country, the opening meet offered an encouraging indication of what could be ahead.
Head Coach Hugh Reid:
"This was a very positive first step for our men. We are young, we have a tremendous amount to learn, and we are nowhere close to where I believe we can eventually be. But when you open the season with two of the five fastest 5K performances in school history and another athlete running a personal best, you have something to build on. Brandon came in and immediately showed that he can make an impact, David continues to develop, and Matthew took another step forward. Now the challenge is consistency. We have to keep working, keep learning how to race, and understand that what we do every day in practice will determine where this team is at the end of the season. This is only the beginning."
September 19, 2026 – Osprey Open – Men's Cross Country
The Medgar Evers College men's cross country team delivered a strong and encouraging performance at the Osprey Open, hosted by Stockton University. Competing with a full seven-man lineup, the Cougars placed 15th overall with 378 points in their first 8K race of the season.
Freshman Brandon Walker led the Cougars and made program history, completing the course in 31:53.6 to break the Medgar Evers College 8K record that had stood since 2018.
Several Cougars also recorded substantial personal bests. Sophomore David Chisolm finished in 33:43.9, improving his previous best by five minutes. Sophomore Kimahli Reid produced a remarkable 20-minute personal best, crossing the finish line in 38:59.3, while fellow sophomore Matthew Fleming lowered his personal best by two minutes with a time of 39:48.2.
Freshman Michael Adonor completed the first cross country race of his career in an impressive 41:05.0. Junior Reco Griffith recorded a five-minute personal best, finishing in 43:19.1, while freshman Josue Moumouni completed the Cougars' seven-man lineup with a time of 55:47.2.
Head Coach Hugh Reid:
"This first 8K was a tremendous success for our men's program, and I could not be more pleased with their effort. These young men have worked extremely hard over the past several weeks. Despite the challenges we have faced, they have remained committed, trusted the plan and continued to put in the work. Their performances this weekend—including a school record and several major personal bests—show that their hard work is paying off. They are beginning to reap the benefits of their discipline and consistency, and this is only the beginning."
September 23, 2026 – Prospect Park Showdown – Men's & Women's Cross Country
The Medgar Evers College men's and women's cross country teams continued their 2026 seasons at the Prospect Park Showdown on September 23, competing against St. Joseph's University Brooklyn and Pratt Institute in a 4K race at Prospect Park. The Cougars continued to show progress across both programs, highlighted by another strong performance from freshman Brandon Walker and a competitive showing from the women's squad.
On the men's side, Walker once again led the Cougars, winning the individual race with a time of 12:12.1. The freshman standout continued his impressive opening to the season, following his school-record performance in the 8K at the Osprey Open with another first-place finish.
Matthew Fleming was the second Medgar Evers finisher, placing seventh overall in 16:05.2. Josue Moumouni followed in eighth place with a time of 16:42.0, while Kimahli Reid crossed the finish line in 12th at 17:55.1. Marquise Thomas rounded out the Cougars' top five, finishing 13th overall in 17:57.5.
Medgar Evers finished second as a team with 41 points, behind St. Joseph's Brooklyn's 26 points and ahead of Pratt Institute's 57 points. The Cougars placed seven runners among the top 18 finishers.
On the women's side, Brianna Lindo paced the Cougars with an impressive third-place finish overall, completing the 4K course in 18:50.2. Jada Lambert followed in fourth place at 24:13.7, while Thenica Thompson finished fifth in 24:14.3. Alyssa Melville Bruce rounded out the Medgar Evers lineup, placing seventh overall with a time of 27:46.6.
The Prospect Park Showdown provided another valuable opportunity for both Cougars squads to compete in a shorter-distance race while continuing to build toward the remainder of the 2026 campaign. With the men's team already producing school-record performances and the women's team showing strong individual results, Medgar Evers continues to see encouraging signs of growth across both programs.
Next Up for the Cougars
The Cougars will next compete in the Highlander XC Invitational, hosted by Cairn University, this Saturday in Langhorne, PA. Start-time is scheduled for 10:00am.
