Women's Cross Country 9/2/2026 10:00:00 AM Chris Brannick

UCO Opens Cross Country Season Thursday Night In Tulsa

Bronchos Competing In Distance After Dark

TULSA, Okla. – Central Oklahoma begins the 2026 season Thursday night with Roger State's Distance After Dark at Mohawk Sports Complex.

The Bronchos will run the 5k race beginning at 10 p.m.

Central has 10 entries into the season-opening race. Lily Melton, Lily Horvath, Regan Jones, Hadlee Mann, Ariane Williams, Rilee Shea, Julia Trost, McKenna Huston, Autumn Hickok, and Abagail Bloyed are all entered to run for the Bronchos.

UCO has a large group of runners competing for the first time as Bronchos. Bloyed, Mann, Shea, and Trost are freshmen. Horvath, Jones, and Hickok are transfers. Melton, Williams, and Huston are all returners though only Williams has raced for the Bronchos prior to this season.

In 2024, Williams competed in seven events for Central. Her best 5k time that season was 21:02 with a 21:06 a close second. Huston competed in sprints and middle distance for the track & field team last season and formerly at Wichita State. Melton competed in distance events for UCO track & field last season and has an indoor 5k time of 18:22.

Hickok comes to UCO from Tabor College, where she competed in 2024 and 2025. She has a top 5k time of 23:06. Jones comes to UCO from Arkansas Tech and has a top 5k time of 19:37 at the Great American Conference Championships last October. Horvath has been at OU for the past three years and also has a top 5k time of 19:37, recorded in Arkansas during her freshman season in 2023.

Central Oklahoma has four regular season races and two postseason races on its 2026 schedule. The Bronchos will run at Rogers State and Missouri Southern in September, at Arkansas and Oklahoma State in October, and then compete in the MIAA and NCAA Regional championships in November.

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Players Mentioned

Ariane Williams: 5' 7"; Junior

McKenna Huston: Junior

Lily Melton: Sophomore

Abagail Bloyed: Freshman

Autumn Hickok: Senior

Lily Horvath: Junior

Regan Jones: Sophomore

Hadlee Mann: Freshman

Rilee Shea: Freshman

Julia Trost: Freshman

Players Mentioned

Ariane Williams
: 5' 7"; Junior

McKenna Huston
: Junior

Lily Melton
: Sophomore

Abagail Bloyed
: Freshman

Autumn Hickok
: Senior

Lily Horvath
: Junior

Regan Jones
: Sophomore

Hadlee Mann
: Freshman

Rilee Shea
: Freshman

Julia Trost
: Freshman