Women's Cross Country 8/30/2022 6:00:00 PM Chris Brannick

UCO Opens 2022 Season Thursday Night In Kansas

HUTCHINSON, Kan. – The University of Central Oklahoma cross country team is scheduled to make its season debut Thursday night with a 3-mile contest in the Terry Masterson Twilight Classic.

The race is scheduled to begin at 8:30 p.m.

Central Oklahoma is sending a seven-person squad to Kansas for the season opener. The group includes one returner and six newcomers.

Shiloh Hutchinson leads the pack with one year of experience. The Moore, Oklahoma native ran in all six races for the Bronchos a year ago. Her best finish was 39th place at the Oklahoma Baptist Invitational. She ran that two-mile trek in 13:41.

Noel Buckhaults, who competed at Hutchinson Community College for the last two seasons, has twice ran in this race. She finished 28th with a three-mile 21:23 in 2020, and she finished 55th in 2021 with a time of 21:50. Buckhaults transferred to UCO this summer after qualifying for nationals in each of the last two seasons.

Seydi Blount is another transfer ready to help out the Bronchos this week. She comes from Southwestern Oklahoma State, along with Giselle Zavaleta, who is also in the lineup this week. Blount spent her freshman season competing in five races for the Bulldogs. Her best finish was 17th place, at OBU's two-mile opener last year. Her best time in a 5k was 19:22.2 at the 2021 Great American Conference Championships, where she placed 26th.

Zavaleta was at SWOSU in 2020 when the season was canceled due to the pandemic. She did race in the GAC Championships in February 2022 and posted a time of 23:23. She competed in all five races last year as a second-year freshman and posted a career best 20:58 at the 2021 GAC Championships.

Korie Kizarr, Gracie Sanders, and Kylee Smith are all scheduled to make their collegiate debuts Thursday at Hutch.

Central Oklahoma has two more races on the schedule in the month of September. The Bronchos will take on the annual Southern Stampede at Missouri Southern State before visiting Arkansas for the annual Chile Pepper Festival.

UCO is hosting a cross country meet for the first time since 2019 again this Fall. The Broncho Classic is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 15 at Lake Arcadia.

The 2022 MIAA Championships are scheduled for Nov. 5 in Jefferson City, Missouri and the 2022 NCAA Division II Regional Championships are scheduled for Nov. 19 in Joplin, Missouri.

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Players Mentioned

Shiloh Hutchinson: 5' 2"; Sophomore

Noel Buckhaults: 5' 10"; Sophomore

Korie Kizarr: 5' 3"; Freshman

Gracie Sanders: 5' 5"; Freshman

Kylee Smith: Freshman

Seydi Blount: 5' 2"; Sophomore

Giselle Zavaleta: 5' 4"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Shiloh Hutchinson
: 5' 2"; Sophomore

Noel Buckhaults
: 5' 10"; Sophomore

Korie Kizarr
: 5' 3"; Freshman

Gracie Sanders
: 5' 5"; Freshman

Kylee Smith
: Freshman

Seydi Blount
: 5' 2"; Sophomore

Giselle Zavaleta
: 5' 4"; Sophomore