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| 2026 Gans Creek Classic September 25, 2026 | Columbia, Mo. |
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The University of Missouri will host the annual Gans Creek Classic cross country meet on September 25, 2026, at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course during the 2026 season in addition to hosting the 2026 SEC Cross Country Championships.
"Our staff is excited to share the 2025 home cross country schedule," cross country coach Kyle Levermore said. "We are looking forward to elevating the standard and showcase what a cross country meet can be. The Gans Creek Cross Country Course is built for a world-class competitor and spectator experience."
Mizzou has hosted a meet in Columbia every year since 2019, and the program has hosted multiple events six of the last seven seasons. MU has positioned Gans Creek Cross Country Course as one of the premier cross country venues in the country, hosting the 2021 SEC Cross Country Championships, the 2022 NCAA Midwest Regional Championships and the 2025 NCAA Cross Country Championships.
Gans Creek Classic
Missouri will host the eighth-annual Gans Creek Classic on Friday, Sept. 26, 2026.
For the third time, the Gans Creek Classic features both collegiate and high school competitions. Friday morning will feature six collegiate races at 8:15 a.m. CT (Men's Black), 9 a.m. (Women's Black), 9:45 a.m. (Men's Gold) and 10:30 a.m. (Women's Gold) with open races to follow.
High school competition begins later on Friday night. The JV Girls High School Race is slated for 6:30 p.m. and the JV Boys High School Race is scheduled for 7 p.m. Elite high school sections close out Friday's competition, with the Varsity Girls' 5k opening at 7:30 p.m. and the Varsity Boys' 5k racing at 8 p.m.
Teams that are interested in competing at the Gans Creek Classic must fill out the Intent to Compete Form to be considered.
Gans Creek is the home of the Missouri's men's and women's cross country teams. The Gans Creek Cross Country Course opened on September 27, 2019, with the Gans Creek Classic. The 320-acre park is a state-of-the-art facility that has attracted state, regional and national meets to the mid-Missouri area.
Located at Gans Creek Recreation Area on the south side of Columbia, the cross country course utilizes the rolling mid-Missouri terrain to its advantage to provide a challenging two and three kilometer loops that allow organizers to set up a diverse number of race distances with minimal switch points and turns. The venue is a premier environment to host local, state, regional, and national events.
- Loop course- all distances made from the 2k and 3k loop
- The 2k loop includes rolling hills and sweeping, graded turns
- The 3k loop has common first 1200 of the 2k loop and the last 1800m has wide turns to a slight uphill 300m finish
- Entire course irrigated and graded for drainage
- Spectator friendly facility includes a spectator berm, rising 12-15 feet above the final stretch
- Minimum course width is 10 meters throughout
- Starting line accommodates up to 42 teams
Address: 3350 E Gans Rd, Columbia, MO 65201
From Interstate-70 (East or West)
- Take Exit 128A heading south toward Jefferson City
- Exit Highway 63 at Discovery Parkway, heading west toward Tolton High School.
- Pass the the left turn for Gans Road from Discovery Parkway, continuing onto Gans Road.
- Turn left into Gans Creek Recreation Area, 3350 E Gans Rd, Columbia, MO 65201
From Highway 63 (North or South)
- Exit Highway 63 at Discovery Parkway, heading west toward Tolton High School.
- Pass the the left turn for Gans Road from Discovery Parkway, continuing onto Gans Road.
- Turn left into Gans Creek Recreation Area, 3350 E Gans Rd, Columbia, MO 65201.
From Downtown Columbia
- Drive east on Broadway toward Highway 63
- Turn right onto Highway 63, heading south toward Jefferson City.
- Exit Highway 63 at Discovery Parkway, heading west toward Tolton High School.
- Pass the the left turn for Gans Road from Discovery Parkway, continuing onto Gans Road.
- Turn left into Gans Creek Recreation Area, 3350 E Gans Rd, Columbia, MO 65201.
From Bearfield Road
- Turn south onto Bearfield Rd from Grindstone Parkway.
- Head south on Bearfield Rd, driving through a small section of winding road.
- Turn left onto Gans Rd at the stop sign. The other corner will say "Country Day School".
- Continue east on Gans Rd, turning right into Gans Creek Recreation Area, 3350 E Gans Rd, Columbia, MO 65201.
