By Aidan O’Connor | Sports Writer
Confidence and experience are the backbone of champions and Baylor cross country believes it has both in spades.
“With experience, you have a lot more consistency,” head coach David Barnett said. “There’s a big gap between your best race and your second best race. I’m definitely excited to see the upperclassmen step in and put it out there. I think the underclassmen will definitely follow their lead.”
One of the biggest changes for the Bears is the mentality they are bringing into this year.
“Last year, sometimes we weren’t as confident in what we can do,” senior Mackenize Browne said. “This year, I feel like we came back from the summer training with a great mindset, wanting to get at it and wanting to have better goals.”
The change in confidence has shown in the team’s practices leading into the season. The Bears have grown to support each other improve every day.
“Working together last year, it was uneasy,” Browne said. “This year, we grew to use each other to help each other get better. In the workouts, they just show because the workouts have been way better, the teamwork has been amazing.”
The Bears have 18 upperclassmen in total between the men and women’s teams coming into this season.
The men’s team has its No. 1 in junior Jack Sterrett and No. 2 runner in senior Straton Miller returning. Baylor believes it has the potential to go above and beyond this season with the experience gained from 2025.
“Jack’s probably our top guy, but we have a couple other guys that are in a similar situation,” Barnett said. “A couple years ago, we had a couple guys that were all-region. I think this year we have a couple seniors that are in a position they can do the same type of thing.”
Baylor looks to making noise nationally if its leaders consistently finish at the top.
“If you can get a couple guys that are all-region, all of a sudden you have a really good opportunity to have a good team,” Barnett said.
The women’s side sees the return of two-time South Central All-Region honoree junior Ruth Kimeli, who finished in the top 10 twice at the Arturio Barrios Invitational in College Station and at the NCAA South Central Region. Browne also makes her comeback after she went through a season ending heart surgery last year. Senior Eastern Kentucky transfer Khadijah Ennasri brings two individual wins at the Asbury and EKU invitationals in 2025.
With all of the depth and talent across the board, the women’s team looks to be one of the strongest in Barnett’s tenure with the Bears.
“On paper, it’s definitely the best,” Barnett said. “Top three as far as track time is concerned. Anytime you have national qualifiers coming back, that’s a big deal.”
Baylor takes its confidence and experience into their 2026 campaign on Friday at the Aggie Opener at the Watts Cross Country Course in College Station.
