Razorbacks race in Southern Stampede, UA adds Oregon meet
Members of the Razorback women’s cross country team travel to Joplin, Missouri, for a 5,000m race at 8:30 a.m. Saturday on the Tom Rutledge course in the Missouri Southern Stampede.
Arkansas, who remains nationally ranked at No. 6 in the USTFCCCA NCAA coaches’ poll, also added a meet to its 2021 schedule. Next Thursday, September 23, the Razorbacks will compete in Oregon’s Bill Dellinger Invitational, racing over a 6,000m distance at the Pine Ridge Golf Club in Springfield, Oregon.
Scheduled to race this Saturday in the Southern Stampede are a crew of seven UA runners, which includes Josie Carson, London Culbreath, Taylor Ewert, Gracie Hyde, Quinn Owen, Corie Smith and Adoette Vaughan. Live results from the meet will be available: http://results.tfmeetpro.com/Dennis_Weber/Missouri_Southern_Stampede/
“When we design the overall schedule, you have to take into account that there might be an opportunity for some people who are catching up, or way ahead, that need an opportunity to compete,” noted Arkansas women’s head coach Lance Harter.
“Missouri Southern has traditionally been on our calendar. They have a phenomenal course in Joplin, and we have some individuals who said this would be a great opportunity to race. It’s a chance for our individuals to be challenged at the front by other teams No. 1 runners.”
Next week Arkansas will contend with a solid field of teams competing in the Oregon meet, which will include Air Force, Boise State, Cal Poly, Colorado State, Cal State Fullerton, Idaho, Ohio State, Oregon, Oregon State, Portland, San Francisco, UC Davis, UCLA, Utah, Utah Valley, and Washington State.
“We’re super excited about the opportunity to go back to the Dellinger Invitational,” stated Harter. “We won the first-ever Dellinger meet and this year it will be held on a new course that we’re excited to compete on.
“The competition in the west is always going to be challenging, and Ohio State is even coming from afar. So, we’ll see a sprinkling of teams from across the nation. We look forward to that challenge. It will be the first time we’ve ever had a meet on a Thursday night.”
Teams in the Oregon meet who are currently nationally ranked include No. 16 Boise State, No. 22 Oregon State, and No. 27 Oregon. Programs receiving votes for the women’s top 30 poll include Utah, Ohio State, Portland, and San Francisco.