There is a familiar look to the University of Manitoba Bisons cross country teams heading into the 2026 season, but the goal is anything but status quo.

With key pieces returning on both the women's and men's sides, Manitoba enters the new campaign looking to build on the foundation established over the past several seasons — while taking another step toward becoming a more competitive team at the Canada West and U SPORTS levels.

For the women, much of that foundation remains intact.

The Bisons return their top three athletes from last season in Lena Klassen, Sadie Maciura and Frances Terichow Parrott, giving Manitoba a strong core to build around. The next challenge will be finding another athlete — particularly from the group of second-year runners — ready to move into a larger role.

"The Women's team will look very similar to last year's team with our Top 3 athletes returning," said Bisons head coach Claude Berube. "The hope is that there is at least one more of our second-year athletes steps up into a more important role on the team."

On the men's side, there is more change.

The Bisons lost two important scorers from last season in Noah Fillion and Hayes McMillan, but four of the six Manitoba athletes who competed at the 2025 U SPORTS Championships are back: Luc Fillion, Jonah Leppelmann, Carson Kroeker and Draycen Ralph.

That returning experience gives Manitoba a foundation as it looks to replace some of last year's scoring while developing the depth necessary to compete as a team at championship meets.

"The Men's team lost two important scorers from last year's team," Berube said. "The hope is that one or two of our rookies or returning athletes will step into a more important role and we are able to field a team at the Championship meets."

That development will be particularly important as the Bisons look to raise their competitive level on both sides of the program.

One of the biggest differences entering this season has been the amount of time Manitoba has had to prepare.

The Bisons began their training and preparation considerably earlier than they had in each of the previous two seasons, with a large group of athletes already training together for the past five weeks.

For a program built around endurance, that additional preparation could prove significant.

"We would like to upgrade our competitive levels on both the Women's and Men's side," Berube said. "The hope is that an extra year of building volume in training will make the transition to the university racing distance easier to handle."

That transition can be a significant one for incoming athletes.

High school cross country races in Manitoba are shorter than the 8-kilometre distance athletes face at the university level, meaning newcomers have to adapt not only to a different level of competition but also to a substantially different racing demand.

The Bisons are hoping that an earlier start and a larger training base will help close that gap.

The objective isn't simply to run more. It is to become more comfortable competing at a higher level.

That will require a shift in mindset as much as it does in physical preparation.

For Klassen, who emerged as one of the team's key athletes last season, that next step includes becoming more assertive when the gun goes off.

"Lena Klassen should be the team leader once again this year," Berube said. "We have been working on her competitive assertiveness and her confidence in being able to compete with most of the athletes at this level."

On the men's side, the Bisons are hoping newcomer Luxton Dueck can make a similar transition into university competition.

The Murdoch McKay Collegiate product brings some experience beyond the traditional high school cross country setting, having competed in several local road races over the past couple of summers.

That experience could help as he adjusts to university racing.

"We are hoping that Luxton Dueck will make a smooth transition to university Cross Country," Berube said. "He has competed in several local road races over the past couple of summers so should be more accustomed to stepping up in the race distance."

For Manitoba, though, perhaps the most important development this season won't be found on a results sheet.

It will be found in the athletes' belief that they belong there.

The Bisons have identified confidence in their ability to compete with the best in Canada West and U SPORTS as one of the biggest areas for growth.

That means changing the way athletes approach races.

Rather than holding back early with the intention of saving something for the finish, Manitoba wants its runners to be willing to take a chance earlier in the race and trust the work they have put in during training.

"The need to believe that they can be competitive at the Canada West and U SPORTS level," Berube said. "Specifically, working on not being afraid to go out a little harder in races and not so worried about conserving to finish strong."

That philosophy has already become part of the program's training.

The Bisons are incorporating the approach directly into workouts while continuing to reinforce the message with their athletes: compete with confidence, rather than simply trying to survive the race.

It is a subtle difference, but one that could have a meaningful impact on where Manitoba finishes.

And ultimately, that is what this season is about — taking another step.

For the men, the goal is to become more competitive in the team race while replacing some of the scoring lost from last season. For the women, the objective is to continue building toward championship-level depth and, ultimately, return to consistently fielding a full women's team at the championship meets.

Getting there won't require one dramatic breakthrough.

It will require consistency.

"It's going to take a consistent training effort on a weekly basis and taking care of looking out for small nagging aches and pains that can turn into injuries," Berube said.

The Bisons have put in the early work. They have a core of experienced runners returning, young athletes ready for larger opportunities and newcomers looking to establish themselves.

Now comes the opportunity to see what that preparation can produce.

For Manitoba cross country, the 2026 season is about more than simply getting to the finish line.

It is about believing they can race there with anyone.