Sydney Vaught named South Central Region Athlete of the Year
FAYETTEVILLE – Arkansas senior Sydney Vaught was named the 2025 USTFCCCA South Central Region Athlete of the Year in cross country via voting by coaches. This marks the third consecutive year for a Razorback to receive the women’s honor.
Since the initial award in 1998, Arkansas distance runners have been named South Central Region Athlete of the Year 10 times by nine Razorbacks with Dominique Scott earning the honor twice.
Vaught recently earned her second All-America honor in cross country by placing 13th in the NCAA Championships held at Gans Creek in Columbia, Missouri. Vaught covered the 6,000m course in a career best 18:59.6.
Opening the 2025 cross country season at the Chile Pepper Festival, Vaught won the individual title in 16:03.0 over the 5k Agri Park course. During the Pre-Nationals hosted by Missouri, Vaught placed 12th with a time of 19;51.1 over 6k.
In placing 11th at the SEC Championships, Vaught was the top American finisher in the race as she covered the 6k course in 20:25.1. Returning to the Agri Park course for the South Central Region meet, Vaught placed second in 19:42.4.
Vaught was the top South Central Region finisher in the NCAA Championships and the fourth best finisher among SEC runners.
South Central Region Cross Country | Razorback Women’s Athlete of the Year
2025 Sydney Vaught
2024 Paityn Noe
2023 Isabel Van Camp
2019 Taylor Werner
2018 Katrina Robinson
2017 Nikki Hiltz
2016 Devin Clark
2015 Dominique Scott
2014 Dominique Scott
2001 Adriena Byrd
