Women's Cross Country 9/3/2021 11:00:00 AM Chris Brannick

Bronchos Open Season Saturday In Shawnee

SHAWNEE, Okla. – The University of Central Oklahoma cross country team is scheduled to open the 2021 season Saturday morning with the Oklahoma Baptist Invitational.

Central, which did not compete in 2020 due to the ongoing pandemic, will race for the first time in nearly two years Saturday morning.

"We are excited to be back," UCO head cross country coach Martha Brennan said. "We're eager and we're excited to see how we can do. I think everyone is ready to go and we are looking forward to it."

The race is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. and will be just a two-mile stretch as opposed to the traditional 5k (3.1 miles). The course is set at Gordon Cooper Technology Center.

The last time Central raced in Shawnee and the last time Central raced a regular season meet, Arizona Hummingbird led the way with a first place showing. Now a fifth-year senior after gaining a year of eligibility lost in 2020, Hummingbird posted her fastest 5k time as a Broncho, crossing the finish line in 18:56 to win the OBU Invite.

Central does have a mostly new roster in 2021. Hummingbird is the only student-athlete entered to race Saturday that has raced for the Bronchos before.

Bethany Garrison, Shiloh Hutchinson, Layne Nichols, Marin Rhodes, and Clara Shirley will all make their Broncho debuts. Nichols and Rhodes were both with the program in 2020 when the season was canceled. The two did participate in Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field.

Central Oklahoma will be off next week before heading to Joplin, Missouri for the annual Missouri Southern Stampede. UCO will also race at Emporia State later this month and at Fort Hays State in October. The 2021 MIAA Championships is scheduled for Oct. 23 in Kearney, Neb. And the site of the 2021 NCAA Regional Championships are slated for Nov. 6 in Joplin.

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

Arizona Hummingbird: Senior

Marin Rhodes: Freshman

Layne Nichols: Freshman

Beth Garrison: Freshman

Shiloh Hutchinson: Freshman

Clara Shirley: Freshman

Players Mentioned

Arizona Hummingbird
: Senior

Marin Rhodes
: Freshman

Layne Nichols
: Freshman

Beth Garrison
: Freshman

Shiloh Hutchinson
: Freshman

Clara Shirley
: Freshman