by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. This list ranks 6 programs for Men’s Cross Country (Division III) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
To help you decide, College Factual evaluates each program using 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.
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Learn more about these schools below:
No school ranked higher than Washington and Lee University this year for Men's Cross Country (Division III). This private not-for-profit school is set in Lexington, VA. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $8,840, compared with $8,840 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Christopher Newport University ranked #2 among the best colleges for Men's Cross Country (Division III). Christopher Newport University is a public school based in Newport News, VA. Team revenue averages $5,725 per participant, against $5,725 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Roanoke College ranked #3 among the best colleges for Men's Cross Country (Division III). Located in Salem, VA, Roanoke College is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $3,137 in revenue per athlete, against $3,137 in expenses. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Mary Baldwin University came in at #4 on this year's ranking for Men's Cross Country (Division III). Located in Staunton, VA, Mary Baldwin University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $4,457 per participant, against $4,457 in expenses. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Regent University earned the #5 place for student athletes. Regent University is a private not-for-profit school based in Virginia Beach, VA. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $4,724, compared with $4,724 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Eastern Mennonite University landed the #6 spot this year. Located in Harrisonburg, VA, Eastern Mennonite University is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $3,225 in revenue per athlete, against $3,225 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This list is compiled by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology weighs 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
More about our data sources and methodologies.