Sydney Vaught represents Arkansas in NCAA Championship race

COLUMBIA – Razorback senior Sydney Vaught will make her fourth consecutive appearance at the NCAA Cross Country Championship as she races over the 6,000m distance on the Gans Creek course on Saturday, November 22, with a start time of 9:20 a.m.

Coverage of the Championship meet will be available through ESPNU with a start time of 9 a.m. Live results will be available through pttiming.com.

“Sydney looks great and is a feisty competitor,” noted Arkansas women’s cross country coach Marc Burns. “Her best finish at the NCAA Championships was 11th as a sophomore in 2023. She’s as fit as she’s ever been. The landscape has changed a bit over the last few years as far as the depth up front. It doesn’t change our goals for this weekend.

“Sydney’s going to make her presence known up in the front pack and she’s going get out there and get after it. She’s strong enough to handle just about anything. I think another top 20 finish this week for her would be the goal and to mix it up with the top people. She’s got a few people that she owes one from the SEC meet.”

Vaught placed 11th in the SEC Championship race and finished as the top American in the field. Then she was runner-up in the South Central Region meet at Agri Park. During the Pre-National meet held at Gans Creek last month, Vaught placed 12th.

Top individuals in the NCAA race include BYU freshman Jane Hedengren, Alabama’s duo of Doris Lemngole and Caren Kiplagat, as well as Oregon’s Diana Cherotich. Leading teams entering the meet include No. 1 North Carolina State, No. 2 BYU, No. 3 Florida, No. 4 New Mexico, and No. 5 Notre Dame.

Burns previously coached at Missouri when plans and development for the Gans Creek course started. After hosting SEC and Midwest Region meets, the course will host its first NCAA Championships.

“It’s exciting and it’s a been a long time coming for this course to host the NCAA Championships,” stated Burns. “Having a hand in developing the course I’m excited to see how it all plays out, how the race runs on it. I think it’s going to be a fantastic championship. The course will handle the rain they get this week pretty well.

“It’s a great opportunity to showcase one of the nicest facilities out there in the country.”