Each year, school enrollment sizes can reshape the California cross country landscape due to CIF division realignments. The 2026 season is no exception, with division moves that will have enormous implications for the CIF XC State title picture.
After reviewing the 2026 CIF division placements in each section, we compiled a list of the largest moves compared with the qualified teams that competed in the 2025 CIF State XC Championships.
Division Changes From 2025 CIF State Qualified Teams
| Section | School | 2025 | 2026 | Why it matters |
|---|
| SS | La Serna | D2 | D1 | Boys tied for 5th at State in D2 last year; now jump into a loaded D1 with a promising duo of Thomas Barrera and William Thompson. |
| SS | Hart | D2 | D3 | Boys were 4th in D2 State and now enter D3, where they will push the defending champions, Campolindo. |
| SS | El Toro | D3 | D2 | The girls are the defending D3 State Champions and now chase a third consecutive title in a different division. |
| SS | Monrovia | D3 | D4 | Big individual impact with Isla Terrill entering the same division as JSerra and Sage Creek's emerging stars. |
| CC | Mountain View | D2 | D1 | Boys were 5th in D2 State and return enough talent to be favorites in D1 |
| CC | Menlo School | D5 | D4 | The Menlo boys were D5 State runner-up last year and enter a D4 team race that is more wide open. |
| CC | Scotts Valley | D4 | D5 | Girls finished 4th in D4 State and now drop into D5 |
| NC | Redwood (Larkspur) | D2 | D3 | Both boys and girls teams competed in D2 State last year and now move to D3 |
| SD | Poway | D1 | D2 | Boys were 9th in D1 State and girls 15th. This is a major change for the state but, most importantly, the San Diego Section. |
| SD | La Costa Canyon | D3 | D2 | Girls qualified to State in D3 last season and now move up into D2. |
| SJ | Summerville | D5 | D4 | Boys reached State in D5 last year and now move into D4. |
| NS | Yreka | D4 | D5 | Girls were a D4 State team last year, and now fall into Division 5. |
| NC | Dublin | D1 | D2 | Boys finished 11th in D1 State; dropping to D2 further solidifies the most exciting division in the state. |
| SS | Westlake | D2 | D3 | The girls' team, filled with underclassmen, finished 4th in D2 last year and fell into Division 3, making the division even more exciting. |
Biggest Changes to the 2026 State Title Picture
The El Toro girls are the only CIF State XC Champions from 2025 moving divisions, but this isn't unfamiliar territory for the Chargers. In 2024, the girls won the D2 CIF State title and moved divisions last season to win the D3 State title. Now back in Division 2, they are clear favorites with six returners from their state championship-winning team.
Read more about El Toro's returning squad HERE
-- El Toro girls after winning the 2025 Saddleback XC Cup --
After finishing 5th in Division 2 last season, Mountain View's boys are projected to be one of the best teams in the state. They will bring that energy to California's historically strongest division, which has been weakened by graduations. The Spartans are entering Division 1 with the best 3200m average of 9:20 among returners, and the strength of the promising sophomore duo Liam Tassa and Mac Zhang. Their entrance into Division 1 can be summed up as D2 exhaling while D1 is wincing.
Read more about Mountain View's returning squad HERE
In recent years, the Menlo School boys have developed into a Division 5 powerhouse following state meet finishes of 4th (2023), 1st (2024), and 2nd (2025). Now they're entering Division 4 as one of the favorites to win the state title, led by Henry Hauser, who's also an individual favorite after finishing 8th in the CIF State 1600m final. They will face a tough battle against Foothill Technology and Sage Creek, both returning with challenging squads.
Read more about Menlo School's returning squad HERE
Last season, an injection of underclassmen propelled Westlake into a 4th place finish in the Division 2 State Championship. A move to Division 3 doesn't appear likely to hinder their trajectory, as their lead runners, Anais Cruz and Sabina Cruz, both qualified for the CIF State 3200m final in the spring. Westlake is entering a stacked Division 3 with plenty of potential, setting the stage for battles with St. Francis, Santa Margarita, Oak Park, and Yorba Linda that could be legendary over the next four years.
Read more about Westlake's returning squad HERE
The Division 3 boys' title picture has become much more interesting with Hart entering the fold as a strong challenger to the defending champions, Campolindo. After finishing 4th in last year's D2 CIF State XC Championships, Hart is returning five varsity runners, including their inseparable trio. Last year Campolindo won the Division 3 title by over 50 points, but the leading trio of Josiah Himsl, Jameson Wiley, and Samuel Ania, who finished two seconds apart at last year's state meet, could make 2026 a different story.
2026 CIF Section Divisions
See the divisions for each CIF Section for the 2026 cross country season.
Each year, school enrollment sizes can reshape the California cross country landscape due to CIF division realignments. The 2026 season is no exception, with division moves that will have enormous implications for the CIF XC State title picture.
After reviewing the 2026 CIF division placements in each section, we compiled a list of the largest moves compared with the qualified teams that competed in the 2025 CIF State XC Championships.
Division Changes From 2025 CIF State Qualified Teams
| Section | School | 2025 | 2026 | Why it matters |
|---|
| SS | La Serna | D2 | D1 | Boys tied for 5th at State in D2 last year; now jump into a loaded D1 with a promising duo of Thomas Barrera and William Thompson. |
| SS | Hart | D2 | D3 | Boys were 4th in D2 State and now enter D3, where they will push the defending champions, Campolindo. |
| SS | El Toro | D3 | D2 | The girls are the defending D3 State Champions and now chase a third consecutive title in a different division. |
| SS | Monrovia | D3 | D4 | Big individual impact with Isla Terrill entering the same division as JSerra and Sage Creek's emerging stars. |
| CC | Mountain View | D2 | D1 | Boys were 5th in D2 State and return enough talent to be favorites in D1 |
| CC | Menlo School | D5 | D4 | The Menlo boys were D5 State runner-up last year and enter a D4 team race that is more wide open. |
| CC | Scotts Valley | D4 | D5 | Girls finished 4th in D4 State and now drop into D5 |
| NC | Redwood (Larkspur) | D2 | D3 | Both boys and girls teams competed in D2 State last year and now move to D3 |
| SD | Poway | D1 | D2 | Boys were 9th in D1 State and girls 15th. This is a major change for the state but, most importantly, the San Diego Section. |
| SD | La Costa Canyon | D3 | D2 | Girls qualified to State in D3 last season and now move up into D2. |
| SJ | Summerville | D5 | D4 | Boys reached State in D5 last year and now move into D4. |
| NS | Yreka | D4 | D5 | Girls were a D4 State team last year, and now fall into Division 5. |
| NC | Dublin | D1 | D2 | Boys finished 11th in D1 State; dropping to D2 further solidifies the most exciting division in the state. |
| SS | Westlake | D2 | D3 | The girls' team, filled with underclassmen, finished 4th in D2 last year and fell into Division 3, making the division even more exciting. |
Biggest Changes to the 2026 State Title Picture
The El Toro girls are the only CIF State XC Champions from 2025 moving divisions, but this isn't unfamiliar territory for the Chargers. In 2024, the girls won the D2 CIF State title and moved divisions last season to win the D3 State title. Now back in Division 2, they are clear favorites with six returners from their state championship-winning team.