Yellow Jackets Climb 10 Spots in One Year, Earn Third-Place Conference Finish Led by All-Conference Performer Salisu Habibu
MACON, Ga. (November 6, 2026) – The Allen University men's cross country team delivered one of its strongest performances since joining the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) in 2020, capturing third place at the 2026 SIAC Men's Cross Country Championship on Friday in Macon, Georgia.
The Yellow Jackets' remarkable improvement marks a major milestone for the program, which finished 13th in the 2025 championship. Just one year later, Allen climbed an impressive 10 positions in the conference standings, demonstrating the program's growth, determination, and competitive development.
Allen finished with 107 team points, trailing only conference champion Tuskegee University (23 points) and runner-up Morehouse College (51 points). The Yellow Jackets finished ahead of Spring Hill College, Edward Waters University, Savannah State University, and several other conference opponents.
Habibu Leads the Yellow Jackets With All-Conference Performance
Leading Allen's impressive championship showing was Salisu Habibu, who earned SIAC All-Conference honors with a seventh-place overall finish in the men's 8K race, clocking an outstanding time of 27:42.80.
Habibu's top-10 performance set the pace for the Yellow Jackets, while his teammates delivered strong finishes that helped secure the team's third-place standing.
William Robinson finished 20th overall with a time of 29:53.52, followed by Makhi Tutt in 23rd place (31:07.13), Zechariah Addison in 28th (31:53.65), and Christavion Stephenson in 29th (31:58.54). Tristan Wingate also represented Allen, finishing 59th overall.
A Program on the Rise
The improvement from 13th place in 2025 to third place in 2026 represents a significant achievement for Allen University men's cross country. The Yellow Jackets also reduced their championship team score from 339 points last season to just 107 points this year, an improvement of 232 points.
Since joining the SIAC in 2020, Allen has continued working to strengthen its cross country program. This year's podium finish reflects the progress made through the commitment of its student-athletes and coaching staff.
The performance signals an exciting direction for the Yellow Jackets as they continue building toward becoming a consistent contender in the conference.
Allen University Athletics congratulates the men's cross country team and coaching staff on their outstanding championship performance and recognizes Salisu Habibu for earning SIAC All-Conference honors.
