Tarleton State opens its postseason Friday at the inaugural United Athletic Conference Cross Country Championships in Richmond, Kentucky. The Texans’ women and men will race in the 5K and 8K, respectively, with several runners aiming to build on last season’s conference results and this year’s personal-best performances.

By the Numbers
  • Women’s 5K: 9 a.m. ET; men’s 8K: 9:45 a.m. ET.
  • Women’s race: 5K; men’s race: 8K.
  • NCAA South Central Regional Championships: Nov. 13 in College Station.
Yes, But

Tarleton has a small group of conference-meet veterans: Victoria Guerrero and Kaitlyn Gale return from the women’s 2025 WAC team, while Tyler Hedgepeth is the men’s lone returning conference-championship runner. Freshmen make up much of both squads and will be making their conference championship debuts.

State of Play
  • Ava Tannehill and Gale have led the women at different points this season; Gale recently set a personal best.
  • Diego Flores has led the men in all three races, with Hedgepeth consistently finishing second for Tarleton.
  • Both races will stream on ESPN+, with live results on Athletic.net.
What’s Next

After the UAC meet, Tarleton heads to College Station for the NCAA South Central Regional Championships on Nov. 13.

Bottom Line

The inaugural championship is a fresh conference test for Tarleton, with experienced returners setting the pace and a large freshman contingent getting its first postseason opportunity.