COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Tarleton State Cross Country is set for their second postseason race on Friday morning at the South Central Regional at the Watts Cross Country Course.
The women will kick off the meet at 9 a.m. with a 6K race. The men will finish the meet in a 10K race. All times that are in the South Central Region will be competing for the two automatic bids to the NCAA Championships in Terre Haute, Ind., on Nov. 21. The race will not be streamed, but live results will be provided.
The Texans are competing in the South Central Region due to their location, one of nine NCAA regions for cross country. The top two teams in each region will earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships, totaling 18 teams with another 14 teams across the nine regions also earning an at-large bid. This means that the third and fourth placing teams in each region are likely to be selected but it will be determined by their regular season and conference championships performance as well. Individually, 38 athletes not on qualifying teams will earn a spot at the Championships as well. The top four individuals in each region not on a team that earns a bid will also be going to the NCAA Championships. The final two spots are at large selections across the nine regions of those in the top 25 that already didn't get in.
The Texan women posted their best performance at a cross country conference championship at the inaugural UAC Championships. The women placed fourth overall with four women earning All-UAC honors.
Kaitlyn Gale led the pack for the second-straight meet placing ninth overall, the highest finish by a Texan at a conference meet in Tarleton State's Division I era. Three freshman followed behind her to earn UAC All-Freshman honors.
Ava Tannehill placed 18
th overall as the second highest finishing Texan.
Sadie Larson was the third also earning the honor as the fifth freshman and third Texan to cross in 26
th place.
Rylie Rivers placed 31
st overall and was the seventh freshman to cross to earn UAC All-Freshman.
On the men's side,
Diego Flores paced the men for the fourth-straight meet. He was the highest finishing Texan placing 17
th overall.
Tyler Hedgepeth was the next to cross placing second for the Purple and White for the fourth-consecutive meet in 24
th overall. The men tied their second highest conference finish placing sixth overall.
The Texans will be looking to qualify for the 2026 NCAA XC National Championships on Nov. 21 to continue their cross country season. For the latest news and updates, follow @tarletonxctrack on Instagram and X.
