THE MURKIEST OF CRYSTAL BALLS is all that is available when one attempts to analyze the NCAA Cross Country scene in mid-September. At this point, none of the teams have been tested in significant competition and the condition of some of the top runners almost seems to be a closely-guarded secret.
Complicating the matter somewhat — or at least our terminology — is that the battle in Tallahassee on November 20 will be the second Nationals of the calendar year, and that strange bifurcated 1920–21 season that culminated in March didn’t count against anyone’s eligibility because of the pandemic. Don’t be surprised by surprises when the Nationals go down; expect them.
Coming up over the next few days will be links to the 4 detailed sections of our Div. I-based NCAA Cross Country Preview:
| Men’s Teams | Women’s Teams |
| Men’s Individuals | Women’s Individuals |
| 2021 Collegiate Cross Country Schedule |
| Major Invitationals | ||
| September | ||
| 17 | Commodore Classic | Nashville, Tennessee |
| 18 | Cowboy Jamboree | Stillwater, Oklahoma |
| McNichols Invitational | Terre Haute, Indiana | |
| 24 | Battle In Beantown | Boston, Massachusetts |
| October | ||
| 01 | Piane Invitational | Notre Dame, Indiana |
| 02 | Chile Pepper Invitational | Fayetteville, Arkansas |
| Louisville Classic | Louisville, Kentucky | |
| 15 | Nuttycombe Invitational | Madison, Wisconsin |
| 15 | Pre-Nationals | Tallahassee, Florida |
| Div. I Conferences | ||
| October | ||
| 18 | SWAC | Clinton, Mississippi |
| 29 | ACC | Notre Dame, Indiana |
| American Athletic | Lakeland, Florida | |
| Big 10 | State College, Pennsylvania | |
| Big 12 | Stillwater, Oklahoma | |
| Big East | Carmel, Indiana | |
| Big Sky | Portland, Oregon | |
| Big South | Kernersville, North Carolina | |
| Big West | Davis, California | |
| Missouri Valley | Normal, Illinois | |
| Mountain West | Albuquerque, New Mexico | |
| Pac-12 | Salt Lake City, Utah | |
| SEC | Columbia, Missouri | |
| Southland | Thibodaux, Louisiana | |
| Sun Belt | Mobile, Alabama | |
| West Coast | Concord, California | |
| 30 | America East | Durham, New Hampshire |
| Atlantic 10 | Cedarville, Ohio | |
| Atlantic Sun | Orlando, Florida | |
| Colonial | Boston, Massachusetts | |
| Conference USA | Charlotte, North Carolina | |
| Heps | Princeton, New Jersey | |
| Horizon League | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | |
| Metro-Atlantic | Lake Buena Vista, Florida | |
| Mid-American | Ypsilanti, Michigan | |
| Ohio Valley | Nashville, Tennessee | |
| Southern | Lexington, Virginia | |
| Summit League | Tulsa, Oklahoma | |
| WAC | Riverside, California | |
| 31 | Patriot League | Bethlehem, Pennsylvania |
| November | ||
| 20 | IC4A/ECAC | Bronx, New York |
| Collegiate Nationals | ||
| November | ||
| 06 | NCAA Div. II Regionals | 8 sites |
| 12 | NCAA Div. I Regionals | 9 sites |
| Great Lakes | Evansville, Indiana | |
| Mid-Atlantic | Bethlehem, Pennsylvania | |
| Midwest | Iowa City, Iowa | |
| Mountain | Provo, Utah | |
| Northeast | Boston, Massachusetts | |
| South | Huntsville, Alabama | |
| South Central | Waco, Texas | |
| Southeast | Louisville, Kentucky | |
| West | Sacramento, California | |
| 13 | JUCO Championships; | Richmond, Virginia |
| NCAA Div. III Regionals | 10 sites | |
| 19 | NAIA Championships | Vancouver, Washington |
| 20 | NCAA Championships | Tallahassee, Florida |
| NCAA II Championships | Tampa, Florida | |
| NCAA III Championships | Louisville, Kentucky | |