Trevecca Cross Country | Trojans Host Michael Pretorius Invitational September 26 at The Hermitage

NASHVILLE - The 2026 Michael Pretorius Invitational is also serving as a Preview for the 2026 Gulf South Conference Championships. The Trojans are hosting the Gulf South Championships for the first time on Friday, November 6, 2026.

Both the Pretorius Invitational and the Gulf South Championships will be hosted at the cross country course at The Hermitage, the home of Andrew Jackson in Old Hickory / Hermitage, Tenn.

It is the first time the Trojans have completed or hosted a meet at The Hermitage course.

PRETORIUS INFORMATION SHEET (> PDF)

WHEN

Saturday, September 26, 2026

Men's 8K - 8:00 AM

Women's 5K - 9:00 AM

WHERE

Andrew Jackson's The Hermitage Cross Country Course

4580 Rachel's Lane, Hermitage, TN 37076

ENTRY INFO

Make ALL entries on DirectAthletics.com

Entries are due by midnight September 23rd. Make ALL payments here before the meet. Individual or unattached entries can be made through DA as well. No race day entries or cash for entry will be accepted at the meet.

ENTRY FEE

$45 per individual, $300 per gender of team of five (5) or more. Entry size is unlimited.

LIVE STREAM

The Michael Pretorius Invitational and Gulf South Championships will be broadcast on FloCollege.

TIMING

CFPI will handle timing. They use chips fastened to the shoe that coaches must return after the races. There will be NO chip collection at the finish line.

THE COURSE

The Hermitage XC course offers great viewing and coaching opportunities. The course is fairly flat, with a few rollers and an uphill run toward the finish. Men will cross the timing mats three (3) times, and women will cross two (2) times, and race scoring and splits will be available. This course, though newer to the area, has hosted large TN HS races and several regional championships. Ample parking is available close to the course, along with porta-johns for restroom access.

MEDICAL

Trevecca Athletic Trainers will be available, along with Vanderbilt LifeFlight or St Thomas EMS.

FOOD/LODGING

There are ample places to eat in the Hermitage area, along with great lodging options in the Providence area, just 15 minutes east in Mt. Juliet. The Providence area offers more shopping and dining options.

Food near the Hermitage

Hermitage Steak House, Flat Tire Diner, Famous Dave's Bar-B-Que, First Watch, Gondola House, Las Palmas.

Food in the Providence Area

M.L. Rose, Jonathan's Grill, Red Robin Burgers, Thai Samurai, Fayzano's Pizza, Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen, Calabria Italian, Martin's Bar-B-Que.

REMEMBERING MICHAEL PRETORIUS
MORE ABOUT MICHAEL PRETORIUS

Michael Walker Pretorius, a Trevecca graduate and alumnus of the Trojans' cross country and track and field programs, passed away following a courageous battle with cancer on Sunday afternoon, July 31, 2022. Thousands prayed, supported, and cheered on both of his battles with cancer.

Michael was first diagnosed with cancer late in 2014, the first semester of his senior year. He fought that first wave only to return late in the spring of 2015 to run in his only track and field event as a Trojan. He didn't choose the easy path, instead running the 800m at the 2015 Rhodes Invitational in Memphis.

In 2016, Trevecca athletic director Mark Elliott recognized that courage by creating the Michael Pretorius Courage Award, presented at the annual TROJY Awards. Michael himself received the first Pretorius Courage Award at the 2016 TROJY Awards.

*Watch a video chronicling his first battle with cancer, which accompanied his getting the 2016 award. (WATCH).

Quoting from the official language of the TROJY Awards, "the Michael Pretorius Courage Award goes to someone who demonstrates the selfless courage, moral conviction, and principled faith to respond to adversity in Christ-likeness that goes beyond their natural abilities."

The Trojans began honoring Michael Pretorius, a program alumnus, at the annual home meet in 2022 after his passing on July 31, 2022.

Michael Pretorius competed for Trevecca beginning in 2012 and was diagnosed with cancer during his senior season (2014-2015) following the fall cross country campaign. His battle with cancer was both fierce and enduring. He remained enrolled in classes while undergoing intense treatment, wearing his trademark smile and easing the tension of those around him. After completing his initial treatment near the end of the 2015 outdoor track and field season, he made an inspiring and courageous return to the team, competing in the 800m run at the Rhodes College meet in Memphis. He eventually was cancer-free, but the cancer returned in 2019 and a second battle ensued.

In partnership with Michael's family, the proceeds from the initial meet went to Cancer Crackdown. Cancer Crackdown is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded to help support cancer fighters. They are an organization that helped support Michael and his wife Amanda during his battle with cancer.

Starting in 2023, the Michael Pretorius Invitational donates proceeds to a new organization, "Under the Willow," founded by Michael's wife, Amanda, and named in his honor.

"Under the Willow" offers community, resources, and in-person retreats specifically for companions and caregivers of someone facing a diagnosis, so their stories can continue to bring hope, support, and life.

ABOUT ANDREW JACKSON'S HERMITAGE

For more information about Andrew Jackson's Hermitage, visit www.TheHermitage.com.

Andrew Jackson's Hermitage in Nashville, Tennessee, was home to Andrew Jackson, the seventh president of the United States, from 1804 until his death in 1845. Jackson rose to national prominence as a military leader, highlighted by his victory at the Battle of New Orleans, before serving two terms as president of the United States from 1829-1837. Following his presidency, Jackson returned to The Hermitage, where he spent the final eight years of his life.

Jackson purchased the property as a 425-acre farm in 1804 and eventually expanded it into a much larger cotton plantation sustained by enslaved labor. Today, The Hermitage preserves and interprets the history of Jackson and his family, the presidency and the era in which he lived, as well as the stories of the enslaved men, women, and children who lived and worked on the property.

Open to the public since 1889, The Hermitage is one of the oldest and largest historic-site museums in the United States. The property is now a 1,120-acre National Historic Landmark featuring the Jackson mansion, gardens and tomb, historic buildings, archaeological sites, exhibits, walking trails, and extensive natural areas. The mansion, completed in 1821 and later expanded, remains one of the best-preserved early presidential homes in the country, with more than 80 percent of the objects displayed inside original to the Jackson family and property.

The expansive grounds, with open fields, wooded areas, and historic landscapes, also provide a unique setting for collegiate cross-country competition. In 2026, Trevecca Nazarene University will use the historic property as the course for the Michael Pretorius Invitational on Sept. 26 and the 2026 Gulf South Conference Cross Country Championships on Nov. 6.