The Lancaster Bible College Men's and Women's Cross Country teams have six meets slated for the 2026 season. The Chargers are led by second-year head coach Silas Eckenroad and are coming off a fifth-place finish for the Men in the conference and a runner-up finish for the Women in which Eckenroad was named Coach of the Year. The Chargers will look to improve upon last year's championship finishes with 11 teams for Men's Cross Country and 12 teams for Women's Cross Country competing this season.
 
The Men's team is returning five athletes from last year's team, led by an All-Conference First Team finisher and United East Runner-up David Helms (Sr.). Helms consistently put up top finishes last season including three top-five finishes and a second-place finish at the conference meet. The Women's team currently has three returning runners for this year including two United East First Team finishers in Seana Dougherty (Jr.) and Cadee Cameron (Jr.). Dougherty finished third at last year's championship meet while Cameron finished fifth, both finishing in under 25 minutes as the Chargers earned a second-place team finish just five points behind the champions in St. Mary's (Md.).
 
Lancaster Bible opens up the 2026 season at Lebanon Valley College on Saturday, September 5 at the Dutchmen Invitational, followed by a trip to Penn St. Abington for the Abington Invitational on Saturday, September 19. To open up October, the Chargers travel to Bethlehem, Pa. to compete in the Paul Short Run at Lehigh University on Friday, October 2. After a weekend off, LBC competes in the Aubrey Shenk Invitational hosted by Gettysburg College on Saturday, October 17 before their final regular season meet on Friday, October 23 back at Lebanon Valley for the Last Chance Run Fast Invitational. The Chargers will then compete in the United East Championships on Saturday, October 31, hosted by Penn St. Berks and to be ran in Lebanon, Pa. with the Women's meet scheduled for 11:00 a.m. and the Men's meet at 12:00 p.m.
 
Head coach Silas Eckenroad had this to say about the Men's and Women's teams heading into 2026:

"Our Cross Country teams are excited to be back on campus training together. We have some returners back with us that will bring experience to the talented young group that has joined us this year. I'm excited to see this group compete and grow together. It's looking like it will be another great season!"
 
The Chargers have their first meet of the year next Saturday, September 5 as they travel to Lebanon Valley for the Dutchmen Invitational. To follow along with the Cross Country teams and all of LBC's athletic programs, view this link to the 2026 Men's Cross Country Schedule and Women's Cross Country Schedule and follow the Chargers on Instagram at lbcathletics.