PLATTEVILLE, Wis. — The University of Wisconsin-Platteville men’s cross country team is back in competition after a suspension in September 2026 tied to an investigation into hazing allegations and student-athlete conduct violations, according to a November 2, 2026 report in the campus student newspaper, The Exponent.

The university suspended the men’s team in September 2026 while the allegations were investigated. Earlier reporting at the time said Chancellor Tammy Evetovich had suspended team activities and placed head men’s and women’s cross country coach James Akita on administrative leave. The women’s team competed without the men at a meet on September 12, 2026, and at the time no date was given for the men’s return, or whether the team would have a season at all.

The men returned to racing on October 3, 2026, at the Running of the Cows meet in Northfield, Minnesota, according to The Exponent, which reported that the university did not issue a public announcement of the reinstatement. The returning team was made up entirely of freshmen, the student newspaper reported.

The team’s subsequent results confirm a young roster. At the Augustana Interregional Invite in Rock Island, Illinois, on October 17, 2026, the Pioneers placed 13th out of 35 teams in the Blue 8K race with 422 points, and all five of the team’s scorers were freshmen. Freshman Jonny Golke led the way in 92nd place with a time of 26:38.6, followed by freshmen Bennett Story, Bradyn Wendorff, Zane Mattson and Will Johnson. The Exponent also reported the team competed at the UW-Oshkosh Open on October 23, 2026.

What remains undisclosed is the substance of the investigation itself. The university has not publicly detailed its findings, the terms of the reinstatement or the status of the head coach, and those details remain pending. The Exponent report noted that the university has not clarified the speculation surrounding either the suspension or the return of the team.

The reinstatement closes a disrupted fall for the program, which had not yet started its 2026 season when the suspension was imposed. The women’s team continued to compete through the fall while the men’s season was paused.