After finishing last season ranked #17 in the NAIA Men's Cross Country Coaches' Top 25 Rating, the Maple Leafs are coming into this season already up to #16. The team has a large number of returning runners from last year after only graduating three seniors and now bringing in nine new freshmen. This is their highest ranking since 2023. 

Goshen's first test of the year comes in the form of the Bluffton Beaver Dam Invite, which is set for Friday, Sep. 4 in Bluffton, OH, just two weeks away. 

The Crossroads League is also well represented in the rankings, as GC is joined by #2 Indiana Wesleyan, #8 Marian, #11 Taylor, and #25 Spring Arbor.