Pictured top row left to right: Alannah Woizeschke, Caleb Lakeman, Adelynne Rispler, Seth Rincon, and Eliza Fraley. Pictured bottom row left to right: Caleb McDowell, Carson Buergey, Wyatt Nickell, and Tristyn Burgeson.

Men's Cross Country 7/31/2026 12:00:00 PM Clayton Messerle, Assistant Athletic Director

Corban Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Programs Bolster Rosters via Loaded 2026 Recruiting Classes

SALEM, Ore. | Continuing to build on a tradition of competitive excellence and Christ-centered development, the Corban University men's and women's cross country programs have announced the addition of nine student-athletes as part of their 2026 recruiting classes. The incoming group includes a blend of accomplished high school standouts and experienced collegiate transfers who will strengthen both the men's and women's distance programs.

"We couldn't be more excited about the recruiting classes we have coming to Corban this upcoming fall term," expressed Warriors' associate head coach Stuart Eagon. "On the men's side, we feel very blessed to announce the strongest recruiting class from an athletic standpoint in program history. God opened doors for some really excellent runners to become a part of our team, two of whom will immediately join the ranks of some of the best that the NAIA has to offer should they stay healthy. However, I'm far more grateful for the leadership that is being added to the program, as well as the growth that I believe it will bring to the group spiritually."

Eagon continued with his thoughts, this time regarding the women's recruits by sharing, "On the women's side, we are adding three really solid ladies, all of whom possess incredible potential and can make immediate impact on the women's program. Each of them possesses tremendous leadership qualities and will represent a major boon to the University."

The recruiting class features runners from Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and California and includes both cross country and track & field competitors for the Navy and Gold in the upcoming fall and spring competitive seasons. With a combination of state qualifiers, conference champions, school record holders, and collegiate transfers, the group brings valuable experience and depth as the Corban cross country squads continue competing among the premier programs in the Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC). Below is a closer look at each of Corban's newest Warriors.

Carson Buergey | 6-2 | Freshman | Springfield, Ore. | Thurston HS

Buergey brings an impressive résumé to Corban after establishing himself as one of the top runners in Thurston High School history. He is the school's cross country 5K record holder, owns the school record in the mile, and ranks second all-time in the 800m, 1,500m, and 3,000m. During his prep career, Buergey qualified for four state track championships and two state cross country meets.

He plans to pursue a degree in accounting.

Tristyn Burgeson | 5-11 | Freshman | Meridian, Idaho | Cole Valley Christian HS

Burgeson joins the Warriors after competing in both cross country and track throughout his high school career at Cole Valley Christian. He recorded personal bests of 4:44 in the mile, 10:23 in the two-mile, 16:56 in the 5K, and 2:06 in the 800m. He finishes his prep career ranked among the top performers in school history, including top-three placement in the two-mile and top-five rankings in both the mile and 800m.

Burgeson plans to study criminal justice with aspirations of becoming a lawyer.

Eliza Fraley | 5-4 | Freshman | Oregon City, Ore. | Horizon Christian HS

Fraley joins Corban after competing in four sports during her high school career, including cross country, basketball, track & field, and flag football. She earned honorable mention all-league recognition in cross country and was recognized with the NFHS Award of Excellence in the spring of 2026. Fraley owns personal-best marks of 23:51 in the 5K and 13:02 in the 3K.

She plans to pursue a Bachelor of Science in nursing.

Lakeman brings significant collegiate experience and elite credentials to the Warrior program after previously competing for NCAA DI Georgetown University. During his prep career, he captured six district championships, won two Oregon 6A state titles, and was named the 2022 Oregon Track & Field Gatorade Player of the Year. Collegiately, he helped Georgetown place second at the 2025 Big East Cross Country Championships and owns impressive personal-best marks of 3:47 in the 1,500m, 1:54 in the 800m, and 25:09 in the 8K.

Lakeman plans to pursue a degree in psychology and hopes to work as a Christian and mental health counselor.

Caleb McDowell | 5-10 | Freshman | Maple Valley, Wash. | Tahoma HS

McDowell joins the Warriors following a decorated career at Tahoma High School. A three-time cross country state qualifier and track state qualifier in the 800 meters, he earned First-Team All-League honors and was recognized with both the Running Bear Award and Most Inspirational Award. McDowell posted personal bests of 1:56 in the 800m, 4:23 in the 1,600m, and 15:49 in the 5K, while helping Tahoma place as high as third at the state cross country meet.

He plans to major in business and pursue a career as an entrepreneur.

Wyatt Nickell | 6-0 | Freshman | Redmond, Ore. | Central Christian HS

Nickell arrives at Corban after helping Central Christian capture both a cross country state championship and a track & field state championship in 2026. Despite competing in cross country for just one season, he earned conference honorable mention recognition and recorded a personal-best time of 4:17 in the 1,500 meters. A multi-sport athlete, he also competed in basketball and soccer throughout high school.

Nickell plans to study kinesiology with the goal of becoming an athletic trainer.

Rincon transfers to Corban after a successful career at Umpqua Community College. He earned NWAC All-Conference honors in the 3,000-meter steeplechase in both 2025 and 2026 and was named to the President's Honor Roll. Rincon owns personal-best marks of 26:03 in the 8K and 9:56 in the steeplechase. Prior to his collegiate career, he was a state qualifier in the steeplechase at Douglas High School.

He intends to major in clinical kinesiology and pursue a career as a physical therapist.

Adelynne Rispler | 5-6 | Freshman | Milwaukie, Ore. | Rex Putnam HS

Rispler arrives after a standout senior season in both cross country and track & field. A state qualifier in both sports, she earned three separate all-league honors during her senior year and served as team captain. She was also selected as the recipient of the prestigious Dr. Lahti Award, presented annually to one female athlete in her graduating class. Rispler's personal-best times include 2:24.53 in the 800m, 5:00.26 in the 1,500m, 10:59.53 in the 3,000m, and 20:01.3 in the 5K.

She plans to study secondary education and pursue a career as a high school history or biology teacher.

Alannah Woizeschke | 5-8 | Freshman | San Diego, Calif. | Maranatha Christian Schools

Woizeschke rounds out the class as an accomplished runner from Southern California. During her prep career, she earned multiple All-League and All-Conference honors in cross country while qualifying for divisional competition in both the 1,600m and 3,200m. She was also part of a league championship 4x800 relay squad and currently ranks second in school history in the 800m, 1,600m, and 3,200m.

Woizeschke plans to double major in clinical kinesiology and biomedical science in order to pursue a future career in sports medicine or physical therapy.