McKenzie Wilks - Women's Cross Country - Arkansas Razorbacks

McKenzie Wilks

So/R-Fr | 5-8 | Distance | Pittsburg, Kans. | Pittsburg HS/Kansas

Sophomore (2020-21)
Outdoor: Raced in 1,500m at John McDonnell Invitational, placing 16th in 4:48.94. Indoor: Competed in two meets … Posted mile time of 5:01.58 to place 10th at Razorback Invitational … Debut in 1,000m produced a time of 2:52.78 to finish third in 1,000m. Cross Country: In debut race as a Razorback, placed 32nd in Gans Creek Classic hosted by Missouri with a time of 22:16.4 … Finished 16th in open race at UAB Blazer Classic with a 6k time of 22:55.0.

College
Competed for Kansas Jayhawks … Coached by Stanley Redwine and Michael Whittlesey … Placed seventh in mile (4:55.89) at 2019 Big 12 Indoor … Ran season best of 4:55.61 at Power Five Invitational … During cross country season finished 20th in 2018 Big 12 as team placed third … Placed 36th in NCAA Midwest region as Kansas finished seventh in team scoring … Earned All-Big 12 Rookie academic honor.

Best marks: 21:05.9 (6k), 19:05.0 (5k), 4:55.61 (mile)

High School
2018 graduate of Pittsburg High School in Pittsburg, Kansas … Coached by Gary Ausemus … 2018 Kansas Preps Track & Field Athlete of the Year … 2018 Joplin Globe Track Athlete of the Year … All-State Academics honor in cross country three consecutive years (2016-18) … Kansas citizen award winner … Graduated top 10% of her class … Team won four SEK Conference championships … School finished third in Kansas 5A State Championships during her sophomore, junior and senior years, fourth during her freshman season … Established following school records in winning all three events her senior year at Kansas 5A State meet – 2:14.04 (800), 4:56.29 (1600), 10:50.19 (3200) – as well as in 4×400 (3:59) and 4×800 relays (9:42) … Her 4:56.29 is also the Kansas 5A State record in the 1,600 … Claimed six individual titles at Kansas 5A State meet – winning 800 in 2015, the 800 and 1,600 in 2017, and sweeping three titles in 800, 1,600 and 3,200 in 2018 … Collected a dozen All-State honors … 2017 All-State cross country selection … Three-time State qualifier in cross country … Totaled 13 SEK Conference titles … Lettered four years in cross country, track and field … Also lettered three years in basketball … Member of National Honor Society and Spanish Club.

HS best marks: 2:14.04 (800), 4:32.59 (1500), 4:56.29 (1600), 4:50.68 (mile), 10:50.19 (3200)

Personal
McKenzie Marie Wilks was born November 11, 1999 in Joplin, Missouri … Hometown is Pittsburg, Kansas … Daughter of Jon and Lori Wilks … Has a younger brother, Grant … Father was a three-time All-American in cross country and steeplechase at Missouri Southern State University in Joplin, Missouri … Majoring in Biology Pre-Med … Career plans include becoming a doctor, with an ambition to make a positive impact on the world … Favorite athlete is distance runner Shelby Houlihan, 2014 NCAA Champion in 1,500m who set an American 1,500m record in finishing fourth in the 2019 World Championships and was an Olympic finalist in the 5,000m in 2016 … Person she most admires is her dad … Chose Arkansas since it’s a great program and still close to home.

McKenzie Wilks | Career Stats

Career best marks

Indoor

1000m | 2:52.78

Mile | 4:55.61

Outdoor

1500m | 4:32.59 (HS)