by our College Data Analytics Team
Picking a college for your sport means looking beyond the field or court. Our ranking highlights 5 colleges for Men’s Cross Country (Division II) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
To help you decide, College Factual weighs a blend of academic-athletic outcomes (NCAA Academic Progress Rate and Graduation Success Rate), athletic financial resources (team revenue, expenses, and aid per athlete from the EADA survey), and overall school quality, drawing on NCAA, U.S. Department of Education EADA, and IPEDS data. Learn more about our ranking methodology.
Looking for a different division or a related ranking? Jump to the options below.
Explore the leading programs below:
No school ranked higher than Union University this year for Men's Cross Country (Division II). Based in Jackson, TN, Union University is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $14,526, against $14,809 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $17,895.
Trevecca Nazarene University landed the #2 spot for Men's Cross Country (Division II). Trevecca Nazarene University is a private not-for-profit school based in Nashville, TN. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $7,947, against $7,708 in expenses. The school awards about $5,766 in athletic aid per athlete.
Carson-Newman University ranked #3 among the best colleges for Men's Cross Country (Division II). Carson-Newman University is a private not-for-profit school based in Jefferson City, TN. Team revenue averages $3,721 per participant, compared with $3,721 spent per athlete. The school awards about $10,904 in athletic aid per athlete.
Tusculum University earned the #4 place for student athletes. This private not-for-profit school is set in Greeneville, TN. Team revenue averages $7,898 per participant, compared with $7,881 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $6,457.
Lane College is one of the top schools for Men's Cross Country (Division II), at #5. This private not-for-profit school is set in Jackson, TN. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $2,966, compared with $2,966 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $3,306.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This ranking is produced by College Factual, 2026 edition. Rankings consider a blend of academic-athletic outcomes (NCAA Academic Progress Rate and Graduation Success Rate), athletic financial resources (team revenue, expenses, and athletic aid from the federal EADA survey), and overall school quality. The current methodology measures academic-athletic quality and does not include team win/loss performance.
References
Read more about our data sources and methodologies.