ORLANDO - Following a strong performance at the program’s third Big 12 Championship in Laweremce, Kansas, the UCF cross country team will head to Huntsville, Alabama, to compete at the NCAA South Regionals on Friday morning at John Hunt Park.
The women’s 6K race is slated to begin at 9:30 A.M EST and will be streamed live on ESPN+. You can also follow live results for the event here.
The South Region features one of the most competitive fields in the nation, including programs ranked among the top 30 in the latest USTFCCCA National Coaches Poll. Among them is the University of Florida, which is coming off a first-place finish at the SEC Championship. The Knights look to rise to the challenge and close out their season with a strong performance.
UCF enters the meet with momentum following its showing at the Big 12 Championships, where Alexandra Raquet led the team to a 12th-place finish. Raquet placed 47th overall with a time of 21:03.7, marking the best time and finish by any Knight in the Big 12 Championship.
The Knights are no strangers to John Hunt Park, having raced at the course earlier this fall for the Southern Showcase. That meet was highlighted by five personal bests and an all-time top-three 5K performance from Yvone Sandui. The team hopes that familiarity and past success on the course will translate into another strong effort on Friday.
Last year, the Knights placed 20th overall at regionals, led by Abby Clements, with a time of 22:00.5. This year’s lineup includes seniors Paige Jaszczak, Riley Jaszczak, Bailey McLain, and Kendall Hughes, who will all look to make an impact in their final cross country meet as Knights. They’ll be joined by sophomores Ava Quattrocchi, Madison Patchan, Racquet, and Sandui as the team looks to finish the 2025 campaign on a high note.
