Sunapee Scramble to Host 2026 Collegiate Mountain Running National Championships
Sunapee, NH – June 4, 2026 —The nation's top collegiate mountain runners return to the slopes of Mount Sunapee on Sunday as the Collegiate Running Association (CRA) and SIX03 Endurance host the 2026 Collegiate Mountain Running National Championships within the Sunapee Scramble.
Following a successful championship debut in 2025, the Collegiate Running Association (CRA) and SIX03 Endurance renewed their partnership to bring the national championship back to New Hampshire. The event will once again be contested alongside the USA Track & Field Mountain Running Championships, creating one of the deepest mountain running fields assembled in the United States this year.
The championship race will be held over the demanding Sunapee Scramble course, a 9.2-9.3 mile test featuring approximately 3,250-3,300 feet of climbing. Athletes will complete two ascents of Mount Sunapee, with the second climb incorporating the rugged and technical Newbury Trail before a fast descent back to the Base Lodge. The race also serves as the selection event for Team USA's 2026 Classic Mountain Running Team, which will compete at the WMRA World Cup Finale in Quebec this October. With a total event prize purse of $30,000, including $3,000 dedicated to collegiate athletes, there will be plenty on the line Sunday morning.
The CRA mountain championship has become one of the premier events on the collegiate trail and mountain running calendar. Last year's national titles were captured by Zachary Erikson of BYU and Rena Schwartz of Smith College, continuing a growing tradition of collegiate athletes testing themselves against the nation's best mountain runners.
College Women's Preview
The women's field features the return of one of the most accomplished collegiate mountain runners in America.
Oakley Olson (Florida State University)
Few athletes arrive with a stronger mountain-running résumé than Oakley Olson. The Utah native captured the 2024 Collegiate Mountain Running National Championship and has established herself as one of the country's premier young mountain specialists. Growing up in the Wasatch Mountains, Olson brings both climbing strength and descending skills ideally suited for the Sunapee course. She enters as the clear favorite for the collegiate crown with a strong 3K steeplechase background (10:19) and track 5,000M (16:49).
Leah Taylor (Florida State University)
Olson's Florida State teammate Leah Taylor gives the Seminoles a formidable one-two punch. Taylor has demonstrated strong cross country and distance credentials and could challenge for a podium finish if she handles the technical sections well. She has personal bests of 10:07 in the 3K Steeplechase and 16:17 in the 5,000M.
Gabby DeAngelis (University of New Hampshire) Competing on home New England terrain, DeAngelis will have significant local support. The University of New Hampshire runner is familiar with the region's trails and could benefit from racing close to home on a course that rewards technical ability.
Maya Brochu (University of New England)
A New Hampshire native from Bow, Brochu brings local mountain experience and could emerge as a surprise contender. Mountain races often reward athletes comfortable on steep terrain, regardless of traditional track credentials.
Sarah O'Connell and Maggie St. John (Keene State College) Keene State enters with multiple experienced athletes. Both O'Connell and St. John have backgrounds in New England cross country and trail running, making them intriguing dark horse candidates in the collegiate standings.
Other athletes to watch include Maya Wedge (Keene State), Sarah West (Mount Holyoke), Evelyn Wool and Natalie Johnson (University of Maine), Lindsey Trotto (Southern New Hampshire University), and Ava Valle (Saint Michael's College).
College Men's Preview
The men's race appears considerably more open, with several athletes bringing credentials that could place them in contention for the national title.
Birhanu Harriman (Georgetown University) The Georgetown runner enters with perhaps the strongest traditional NCAA pedigree in the field. Competing for one of the nation's elite distance-running programs, Harriman's aerobic strength should serve him well on Mount Sunapee's sustained climbs. If he adapts quickly to the technical terrain, he could become the man to beat and with his 13:29 mark in the 5,000M and 28:19 in the 10K he is certainly eying a spot on team USA.
Darius Parker (University of Vermont)
Mountain running and Vermont often go hand-in-hand. Parker's experience training in the Green Mountains should translate well to the demands of Sunapee. The course's combination of steep climbing and technical descending fits the profile of many successful Vermont runners.
Gordy Nilsen and Rowan Nilsen (Pepperdine University) The Boulder, Colorado twins arrive with extensive experience training at altitude and on mountain terrain. Athletes from Colorado frequently excel in mountain-running events, and both Nilsens possess the climbing background needed to contend for top collegiate honors.
Nick Terranova (Keene State College)
Terranova may be one of the strongest local contenders. New England mountain runners traditionally perform well on technical courses, and Keene State's proximity to the White and Green Mountains provides an ideal training ground.
Gabriel Lloyd and Banyan Love (Paul Smith's College) Representing a school renowned for outdoor recreation and trail culture, Lloyd and Love should feel right at home on Mount Sunapee. Paul Smith's athletes have long embraced snowshoe, trail and mountain environments, making them dangerous competitors in championship racing.
Additional contenders include Shepard Livingston (Quinnipiac University), Kenton Fields (Wingate University), Ben Tetu and Jacob Plante (Keene State College), Brent Dunning (Rivier University), and Gary Henderson Jr. (Howard University).
Championship Outlook
One of the unique aspects of the Collegiate Mountain Running National Championships is the diversity of backgrounds represented. NCAA cross country runners, trail specialists, mountain racers, and outdoor recreation athletes all converge on a single championship course.
The Sunapee Scramble rewards complete mountain runners. Athletes must possess the aerobic strength to handle more than 3,000 feet of climbing, the agility to navigate technical terrain, and the courage to descend aggressively. Traditional cross country success alone rarely guarantees victory in mountain running.
On the women's side, Oakley Olson enters as the athlete to beat and seeks to add another national title to her growing mountain-running résumé. The men's race appears far more unpredictable, with Georgetown's Birhanu Harriman, Vermont's Darius Parker, and Pepperdine twins Gordy and Rowan Nilsen among the leading contenders.
With national titles, prize money, Team USA implications, and mountain-running bragging rights all on the line, Sunday's championship promises to deliver some of the most exciting racing of the summer.
The men's race begins at 9:00 a.m. with the women's race following at 9:15 a.m. at Mount Sunapee Resort.
​
Live / Archived Race Day Video Here
​
Additional details: ​ 2026 Collegiate Championships Home
​​​
Contact: Collegiate Running Association
​
###
