By Heather Cass, Publications Manager, Penn State Behrend
The top two finishers at the 2026 Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference men’s cross-country championships shared more than a blistering pace. They also share a last name.
Peyton Brewer, a senior mathematics major, and his younger brother, Quinn Brewer, a first-year industrial engineering major, finished first and second, leading Penn State Behrend to a seventh consecutive and eighteenth overall conference title.
Peyton claimed the individual title with a winning time of 26:33 over the 8K course. Quinn finished second, 23 seconds later, in 26:56.
The result was further proof that speed runs in the Brewer family. Their mother, Kathy Brewer, was an All-American collegiate runner and now coaches cross country at Harbor Creek High School. Their younger brother, Asher, is one of the region’s top high school distance runners, while their sister, Veronica, competes at the collegiate level.
The conference title added to an already impressive résumé for Peyton. Last year, he broke Behrend’s school record in the steeplechase, won the SUNYAC championship in the event, and earned a regional medal with a sixth-place finish against a field representing more than 100 NCAA programs.
“Peyton is really fast and strong,” said Greg Cooper, head cross-country coach. “He is also an incredible teammate and a great person to have on the team. We were happy to welcome his brother this year.”
Quinn has emerged as one of the Lions’ top performers in his debut season, culminating in his runner-up finish at the AMCC Championships. He said that having Peyton on the team has helped ease the transition to college competition.
“I enjoy having an older brother on the team because he has been able to help me figure out all the nuances and other things I need to know,” Quinn said. “He has made it a lot easier for me to transition to the new team.”
Despite growing up in a family of competitive runners, the brothers said they don’t spend much time discussing race strategy or training. Instead, they say that having a sibling on the roster provides a familiar presence and an additional layer of accountability throughout the season.
“We are competitive at races, but in training, I just try to encourage Quinn to stay consistent,” Peyton said. “Running has taught me that consistency pays off, and that I can push myself past anything I thought I was capable of.”
Their performances at the conference championships earned both brothers major postseason honors. Peyton was named the AMCC Runner of the Year, while Quinn was selected as the conference’s Newcomer of the Year.
It was a fitting end to Peyton’s cross-country career and a promising start to Quinn’s.
Whether the final Brewer brother joins the Lions one day remains to be seen, but it would seem to be destiny for Asher Behrend Brewer, who arrived in such a hurry that he was born in a car outside the college for which he was later named.
