Penn State Altoona Athletics announced on Wednesday that it is adding men’s and women’s cross country to its NCAA Division III sport offerings.

Penn State Altoona previously sponsored men’s and women’s cross country as a Division III sport until the conclusion of the 2015-16 academic year, when it was discontinued. Now, the resurrected men’s and women’s cross country program will represent the department’s 18th and 19th varsity teams.

Intercollegiate competition for the men’s and women’s cross country program will begin this upcoming Fall 2025, and a search for a full-time head coach is now underway.

“I am excited to return men’s and women’s cross country to our lineup of sport offerings,” Penn State Altoona Director of Athletics Brent Baird said. “We will return to competing in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference. We have started a search for the coach and hope to have that person on board before the end of the academic year.”

Men’s and women’s cross country launched as an NCAA Division III sport at Penn State Altoona in Fall 2002 and competed in the AMCC until its discontinuation after Fall 2015.

The women’s program won the AMCC title in 2005, and both teams produced several student-athletes who received conference Runner of the Year and Newcomer of the Year honors.

Reinstatement of the cross country program is the first step toward plans of launching a track & field program as early as the 2026-27 academic year.

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Seven student-athletes from the Penn State Altoona men’s and women’s swim teams were recognized for their work in the classroom.

The list included Tyrone’s Madison Coleman and Isabella Rhoades, Altoona’s Emma Fraundorfer, Central Cambria’s Hunter McMullen, along with Hailey Toth, Adam Dotts and Caden Traggiai.