Cross Country Season Set for Razorbacks

Following the announcement of SEC plans for the 2020 cross country season, the Razorbacks will have a four-meet season which concludes with the SEC Championships on October 30 in Baton Rouge.

“Now that we’ve been granted an opportunity to prepare for a SEC Championship, we want to make sure that the girls have an opportunity to get into that competitive groove again,” Arkansas head coach Lance Harter said.

The Razorbacks schedule will open at LSU with the SEC Preview meet on September 19. Then Arkansas travels to Missouri on October 3, and to Texas A&M on October 17.

“Our program has always been built on progression, so we will have a good rust buster in our first meet at LSU,” noted Harter. “I think that will serve true with the rest of the competition.

“Then it’s just a matter of giving the team an opportunity to see where they’re at and how we build, ultimately, for the end of October as our summit meet will be the SEC Championships. Everybody gets fired up for an SEC Championship.”

A senior-laden team propelled Arkansas to its first national championship in cross country last season. Now a crop of newcomers, with a mix of incoming freshmen and transfers, blend together with the returning group of Razorbacks.

“With so many new faces joining us we have some people where the cross country season is more secondary to their yearly plan,” Harter said. “We would like them to have a good, positive experience. So, having four races for the season, which is the max we are allowed, gives us options for everybody.”

With the number of newcomers joining the team, bonding is an important element to establishing team chemistry.

“It’s been really refreshing having the team back together, and for cross country we have a large squad of 24 athletes, with around half of them being newcomers,” noted Harter. “It’s been a lot of socialization to get to know each other and getting an opportunity to do some relaxed running with a lot of conversation during those runs where they get to know each other a little bit better.

“We really haven’t got serious with workouts yet, which will come soon. Everybody is really excited, and the chemistry so far has been phenomenal.”

The chemistry developed by last year’s squad, which included a strong senior base, was essential in delivering a national title.

“I think one of the reasons we were successful last year is we had phenomenal team chemistry, which enhanced the talent we had with that group,” stated Harter. “There was such a unity with that crew.

“I see that happening again this year as well, in spite of losing five seniors and rebuilding with a group of newcomers.”

2020 Cross Country Schedule