LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Little Rock Director of Track & Field/Head Cross Country Coach announced the addition of 10 runners to the Trojans Cross Country teams for the 2020 season.
The newcomers – five men and five women – include nine incoming freshmen and one transfer,
Bailey Cronin, a veteran runner from Oakland University.
"We are adding some real firepower to the Trojan distance squad for both genders," Little Rock Assistant Coach
Alan Webb said. "It's a really exciting time here in Little Rock. Spencer, Andrew, Logan, Nick and Aaron will be great additions to our already big improvement from our men's returners this past year. Mia, Keila, Gabby, Alexia and our veteran transfer Bailey are going to add needed depth and leadership to help continue to improve our spread on the women's side. I'm looking forward to seeing what they can do on the cross country course and also on the track."
The women's additions are
Alexia Allen, Cronin,
Keila Finnestad,
Gabby Lucas and
Mia Patria while the men joining Little Rock's Team include
Spencer Cardinal,
Logan Nelson,
Nicholas Newby,
Andrew Payton and
Aaron Soltmann. All five men's runners bring 5K times under the 16-minute mark to the Trojans and should make an immediate impact for Little Rock.
"Coach Webb has invested a lot of time and energy putting this class together and I definitely think it paid off," said
J.P. Behnke, Little Rock's head cross country coach. "We could not be happier with these 10 additions to the Trojan family. We are adding five men who have all run under 15:40 in the 5k lead by
Spencer Cardinal's 14:38 which was the 14th fastest cross country time in the country last season. The five women additions are not just great athletes but also have excellent leadership qualities. This class has the talent to catapult both programs to be immediate contenders in the Sun Belt Conference."
Little Rock is currently scheduled to open the season at Arkansas on Saturday, Sept. 4. All scheduled dates for the 2020 season are subject to change.
For the latest information on Little Rock Cross Country, make sure to check out
LRTrojans.com. You can also find the team on social media at @LittleRockTFXC on
Facebook and
Twitter.
2020 Little Rock Cross Country Newcomers
Alexia Allen
Fr. | Hurdles/Mid-Distance
Austell, Ga. (New Manchester HS)
High School: Lettered three years at New Manchester High School in cross country and track and field … Named the track team MVP … Graduated in the top 10 percent of her class.
Personal: Born Sept. 2 … Daughter of Alisa and Bobby Allen … Has one younger brother, Seth … Wants to be an athletic trainer.
Spencer Cardinal
Fr. | Distance
The Woodlands, Texas (The Woodlands HS)
High School: Lettered all four years in track and cross country … Led team to 2018 state cross country championship with a runner-up finish in 2019.
Personal: Born on Sept. 7 … Son of Diana and Ray Cardinal … Has two older sisters, Jessica and Lisa.
Bailey Cronin
Sr. | Distance
Beloit, Wis. (Beloit Memorial HS/Oakland)
Cross Country Top Times/Marks
4K (XC): 15:22.7 (9/1/2017, Rochester, Mich.)
3.1M (XC): 19:31.5 (10/4/2019, Grand Woods Park, Mich.)
5K (XC): 18:57.9 (9/30/2017, Louisville, Ky.)
6K (XC): 23:35.4 (10/12/2018, Peoria, Ill.)
Indoor Track & Field Top Times/Marks
Mile: 5:40.70 (1/5/2019, Kalamazoo, Mich.)
3,000m: 11:00.42 (1/26/2019, Ypsilanti, Mich.)
5,000m: 19:13.42 (2/8/2019, Allendale, Mich.)
Outdoor Track & Field Top Times/Marks
1,500m: 5:25.23 (4/6/2019, Rochester, Mich.)
5,000m: 18:52.64 (5/5/2019, Youngstown, Ohio [Horizon])
10,000m: 39:44.27 (5/4/2019, Youngstown, Ohio [Horizon])
2,000m Steeplechase: 7:47.19 (4/6/2019, Rochester, Mich.)
2020 Outdoor (Oakland): Did not compete.
2019-20 Indoor (Oakland): Competed in four meets … Ran a season-best 3K time of 11:20.96 to finish sixth at the Jack Skoog Open (1/31) … Placed 19
th in the 5K at the GVSU Big Meet Invite (2/14) with a season-best time of 19:55.91.
2019 Cross Country (Junior, Oakland): Placed 10th at the Golden Grizzlies Invite (8/30) with a 4K time of 15:46.0 ... Followed that with a 5K time of 19:58.2 at the Knight-Raider Invitational (9/20), finishing 16th ... Placed 13th at the Lansing Invitational (10/4) with a 3.1-meter time of 19:31.5.
2019 Outdoor (Oakland): Competed in four meets … Opened the season with a pair of career-best times as she placed eighth in the 1,500m with a time of 5:25.23 while running 7:47.19 to finish third in the 2,000-meter steeplechase … Posted a season-best finish of third in the 10k at the Golden Grizzlies Invite (4/12), running 40:06.13 … Set a career-best time of 18:52.64 in the 5K as she placed 23
rd at the Horizon League Outdoor Championships (5/4) while also running a career-best 10K time of 39:44.27 to place 10
th.
2018-19 Indoor (Oakland): Competed in five meets … Opened the indoor season with a career-best mile time of 5:40.70 in a dual meet against Western Michigan (1/5) … Also ran the 3K in 11:28.68 to register a season-best seventh-place finish in that dual against WMU (1/5) … Posted a new 3K career-best time of 11:00.42 to finish 18
th at the Can-Am International (1/26) … Matched her season-best finish in the 3K with a seventh-place finish at the Doug Hansen Open (1/18), running 11:03.16.
2018 Cross Country (Sophomore, Oakland): An NCAA Regional competitor that ran a season-best 6K time of 23:35.4 ... Opened the year with a 3.1-meter time of 19:48.9 to finish 23rd at the 32nd Annual Running Fit-Detroit Mercy Titan Invite (9/8) ... Posted a career-best time of 23:35.4 in the 6K at the Bradley Pink Classic (10/12), finishing 239th ... Ran 24:02.4 in the 6K to finish 59th at the Horizon League Championships (10/27) ... Posted a 6K time of 23:57.9 to finish 187th at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional Championship (11/9).
2018 Outdoor (Oakland): Redshirted season, did not compete.
2017-18 Indoor (Oakland): Redshirted season, did not compete.
2017 Cross Country (Freshman, Oakland): Competed in two meets … Placed 15
th at the Golden Grizzlies Open (9/1) with a 4K time of 15:22.6 … Also ran 18:57.89 in the 5k at the Louisville Cross Country Classic (9/30).
High School: Three-year letter winner in cross country (two-year captain) and four-year letter winner in track and field (one-year captain) for head coach Robert Schafer ... Also four-year letter winner in hockey and 2016 state sportsmanship award winner ... Three-time XC state qualifier and was first Beloit student-athlete to qualify for state meet in school history ... 2016 All-Conference selection ... Graduated top of her 395-member class ... Four-time honor roll selection ... Secretary of National Honor Society ... Member of student senate and fellowship of Christian Athletes ... 2016 cross country All-State academic team selection.
Personal: Born on March 2 … Daughter of Shelly and Jim Cronin … Has one brother, Jack, and one sister, Olivia.
Keila Finnestad
Fr. | Distance
Midlothian, Texas (Midlothian HS)
High School: Lettered in cross country and track and field all four years at Midlothian High School … Member of the National Honors Society.
Personal: Born on May 25 … Daughter of Maria and Jeremy Finnestad … Has four younger siblings: Seth, Jayden, Mayra and Israel … Wants to go into the medical field after graduation.
Gabby Lucas
Fr. | Distance
The Woodlands, Texas (The Woodlands HS)
High School: Lettered all four years in cross country and track at The Woodlands.
Personal: Born on April 2 … Daughter of Colleen Pridmore and Ryan Lucas … Has one brother, William Pridmore, and one sister, Hannah Lucas.
Logan Nelson
Fr. | Distance
Fort Worth, Texas (Eaton HS)
High School: A four-year letterwinner that played two years of basketball.
Personal: Born on Nov. 15 … Son of Daris Frencha and Rodney Nelson.
Nicholas Newby
Fr. | Distance
Burleson, Texas (Burleson Centennial HS)
High School: State qualifier and team MVP as he lettered all four years in cross country and track and field.
Personal: Born on Jan. 27 … Son of Christina Newby.
Mia Patria
Fr. | Distance
Clarkston, Mich. (Clarkston HS)
High School: A four-year letterwinner and two-year team captain at Clarkston High School that was a three-year All-State finisher … Regional champion and 2019 state finals top-10 finisher … Also competed for the Breen Track Club (winter track).
Personal: Born on Aug. 6 … Daughter of Patricia and Garrett Patria … Has one younger brother, Garrett.
Andrew Payton
Fr. | Distance
Tualatin, Ore. (Tualatin HS)
High School: A seven-time state qualifier and six-time league champion while lettering all four years in cross country and track and field … Finished fourth at the state championships in the 800m in 2019 while also finishing fourth in the 4x400m relay that year … Set the school record in the 5K and the 4x400m Relay … Graduated as the school's Valedictorian with a 4.0 GPA.
Personal: Born March 24 … Son of Heather and Greg Payton … Has one brother, Davis.
Aaron Soltmann
Fr. | Distance
The Woodlands, Texas (The Woodlands HS)
High School: Led team to 2018 state cross country championship with a runner-up finish in 2019 … Competed at the 2019 Nike National Cross Country Meet.
Personal: Born on Nov. 28 … Son of Alicia and William Soltmann … Has one sister, Hannah, who attends the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.
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