With a second-place performance in the NCAA South Central Regionals in College Station, Texas women’s cross country secured an automatic bid to the championship meet in Wisconsin for the first time since 2022.

Texas finished the 6k race with 81 points, just behind Arkansas, who secured its first-place win with 80 points. Finishing as a top-two team was a must for the Texas team to secure an auto-bid  to the NCAA Championship. This will be the Longhorns’ first time heading to the NCAA Championship under distance coach Sarah Smith. 

Texas remains at No. 30 in the week six U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association rankings, second in the South Central Division behind Arkansas. The Razorbacks and Longhorns have been the two top-ranked teams of the region all season. 

Four Longhorns finished in the top-25 in the race to earn All-Central South Region honors. Three of them ran personal best times. 

Graduate transfer Olivia Howell led the Longhorns, coming in fifth place overall with a personal best time of 19:29.9. This was Howell’s fourth time as a top finisher for the Texas team. 

Behind Howell in eighth place came junior Elizabeth Pickett, who ran a personal best time of 19:36.5. In 13th was senior Eva Jess, who ran a time of 19:52.4. Rounding out the top-25 for Texas was freshman Sydni Wilkins earning her best time of 20:12.4. 

Graduate student Kyra Pretre finished 32nd with a time of 20:32.0, and behind her in 36th place was junior Brighton Mooney, who ran a pace of 20:37.0. Rounding out the finishers for Texas was graduate student Elizabeth Stockman running a time of 20:44.5, placing 43rd overall.

Looking ahead to the NCAAs Nov. 23, the Longhorns are fifth in the SEC behind Alabama, Florida, Tennessee and Arkansas. Texas hopes to finish off the 2024 cross-country season as one of the top-ranked teams in this new era of cross-country in the conference.

This season for the Longhorns has been one where individuals have consistently earned personal bests week to week. Competing in Wisconsin will be a true test if Texas will be able to improve their times against competitive teams while also individually placing high to contribute to the overall team score.