In the United States, cross-country running is normally scored on a team basis. Points are awarded to individual runners equal to the position in which they cross the finish line. Only the first five on each team count towards that team’s score. The sixth and seventh runners on each team are called “pushers” because, while they do not earn points for their team, they push up the point score of each opponent after them. In most cases, no runners after the first seven per team count in the scoring.
Teams are awarded ranks based on the number of points their top five runners have, with the lowest score being the best. The rules in the event of a tie vary depending on the competition. Often, the team with the lower sixth place runner is the winner.
The lowest possible score is 15 (1+2+3+4+5), achieved by a team’s runners finishing in each of the top five positions.
