ORLANDO – The UCF cross country team is set to make its second journey of the season to Huntsville, Alabama, this time for the 2022 NCAA South Regional Championship on Friday.
The women's 6k race is slotted for a 9:30 a.m. ET start time at John Hunt Park. It's the same race location as the UCF's second outing of the season, the North Alabama Showcase, back in September.
Seven Knights will be ready to represent UCF at Regionals on raceday, with five making their regional debuts as a part of the Black and Gold. Isabella Richardson has had a strong freshman season, finishing runner-up in the UCF Invite with a time of 18:28.9. Richardson's previous mark at John Hunt Park was a solid 17:12.4 in the 5k race, coming in at 17th.
Penelope Sosa, Andrea Ballestero, and Riley Jaszczak round out the first-year field. Sosa took home UCF's only outright win this season, topping the field at the Florida Atlantic Invitational with a time of 17:55.3. Ballestero is averaging a mark of 22:42.9 in her two 6k races this season thus far. Jaszczak had a top-50 finish in the AAC Championship last week after she posted a 22:44.2 time.
Sophomore Mackenzie Czurak will also be at the starting line for her first regional competition. Czurak has raced in all five races this fall.
Both Lillian Holtery and Mariana Rodriguez competed at least years South Regional. Holtery, who has found her stride of late with a strong performance at the AAC Championship, finished 106th last year with a time of 22:23.3. Rodriguez rounded out the Knights at last year's competition, posting a 23:29.63.
UCF currently sits at 16th in the USTFCCCA South Region Coaches Poll. Live results are available through Xpress Timing.
