SAN BRUNO, Calif.- Portland Pilots Men's Cross Country placed first in preseason poll. Anthony Giesch and Cameron Stein made the preseason team for 2026.
Senior runner Anthony Giesch helped his team take second at the WCC Championships last cross country season, placing 19th overall in the 8K. Giesch ran a 23:59.09, only seconds away from his 8K personal record (23:42.0). The Oregon native was an important component, assisting the Pilots in a fifth-place team finish at the NCAA West Regionals. Giesch placed 33rd overall and third in team, posting a personal record of 30:10.1 in the 10K.
Fifth year Cameron Stein redshirted in the 2025 cross country season. He holds a PR of 17:21.1 in the 6K, 23:41.2 in the 8K and 29:54.0 in the 10K. Stein was picked for the 2025 Preseason Team and earned All-WCC Second Team in 2024, helping Portland take the 2024 WCC Team Title.
The Portland Pilots were picked as WCC Champions with 49 points and seven first-place votes. This is the fourth consecutive year that the Pilots have been picked to finish first by the Coaches Preseason Poll. The San Francisco Dons were picked to finish second with 39 points and one first-place vote, while the Saint Mary's Gaels were picked to finish third with 38 votes. Points are received based on votes made by each WCC cross country team's head coach.
Portland Men's Cross Country begins their season at the Linfield Harrier Classic hosted by the Linfield Wildcats. The race will take place at Joe Dancer Park in McMinnville, Ore. on Friday, Sept. 4. Race times to follow. Check PortlandPilots.com for live results.
See below for the full preseason poll and team.
2026 West Coast Conference Men's Cross Country Preseason Coaches Poll
Team (first-place votes) points
1. Portland (7) 49
2. San Francisco (1) 39
3. Saint Mary's 38
4. Santa Clara 34
5. Pepperdine 24
6. Pacific 18
7. Seattle U 12
8. San Diego 10
2026 West Coast Conference Men's Cross Country Preseason Team
Daniel Abramowicz, San Francisco
Paul Beaven, Santa Clara
Dennis Cheruiyot, Saint Mary's
Leo Conil, San Francisco
Damian Frausto, Saint Mary's
Anthony Giesch, Portland
Herbie Johnson, San Francisco
Joseph O'Connell, Saint Mary's
Liam Papavasiliou, Santa Clara
Cameron Stein, Portland
Jack Tolbert, Santa Clara
Get Your Tickets Now!
Secure your spot now for any upcoming Portland Pilots ticketed home event by visiting PortlandPilots.com/Tickets or by downloading the Portland Pilots App. For group and fan experience package information, email pilotsboxoffice@up.edu.
Donate Today
Fans interested in making a contribution to University of Portland Athletics can do so by clicking here. Your gift helps our over 300 student-athletes compete at the highest level – on and off the field - in the rapidly changing world of intercollegiate athletics. All gifts to Pilot Athletics are 100% tax deductible.
Follow Along With the Action
Get the latest news and information about your favorite University of Portland athletic programs by visiting PortlandPilots.com. You can also follow along for the most dynamic coverage and team-centric content by following us on Twitter, liking us on Facebook, and following us on Instagram.
