LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Little Rock caps off the 2025 cross country season on Friday as the team competes against nationally ranked programs at the NCAA South Central Regionals. Following a strong performance at the conference meet, the Trojans' top runners will look to close out the season with another solid showing.
The Trojans head north to Fayetteville once again, as the University of Arkansas hosts the regional meet at Agri Park, the same location as the Chile Pepper Festival earlier this fall.
Meet Day Info
What: NCAA South Central Regional
When: Friday, Nov. 14
Race Times:
- Women's 6K – 9 a.m. CT
- Men's 10K – 10 a.m. CT
Where: Agri Park, Fayetteville, Ark.
Live Results:
Results
NCAA Regionals Info
The NCAA regional meets determine which teams advance to the NCAA National Championships on Nov. 22 in Columbia, Missouri. There are nine Division I cross country regional meets across the country:
- Great Lakes
- Mid-Atlantic
- Midwest
- Mountain
- Northeast
- South
- South Central
- Southeast
- West
Little Rock is part of the South Central Regional, which includes programs such as Arkansas, LSU, Tulane, and Texas. Ranked teams competing Friday include Arkansas (men), Tulane (men and women), and LSU (women).
Once the regional meet concludes, the top two teams from each regional automatically advance to the national championship, along with 14 at-large selections. The top four individual finishers not on qualifying teams also earn automatic bids, with additional individual at-large spots determined afterward.
Coach Speak
"We're looking forward to another beautiful day at the Fayetteville course this Friday. We've seen this course earlier this season, so we know what to expect," said Head Coach
Jordyn Naylon. "Expectations for the women are to finish strong and work their way up throughout the race. They're a fit group, and I'm hoping to see some new PRs to finish out the season. I think Aaliyah can put herself out there and compete well. Her last few workouts have shown she's ready to run a solid time."
"The men jump up to 10K, which is a different beast," Naylon continued. "We think Jordan will handle the increased distance well, he's looking to be competitive and has high expectations to close out his season. For the rest of the men, it's about staying strong after 8K and committing to the hurt. We'll have great weather for this race, so I'm excited to see how we finish."
Little Rock NCAA History
The Trojans have found success at regionals in years past, recording multiple top-10 team finishes on both the men's and women's sides. The highest finishes in program history are seventh for the men and fifth for the women. Several Trojans have also earned top individual placements and advanced to the NCAA Championships.
Team Report
Little Rock will send eight runners to the meet as the rest of the roster transitions into indoor track preparation.
On the men's side, graduate student
Jordan Smith will look to continue his strong season after setting a personal best in every race so far. Freshmen
Zach Morin and
Connor King aim to make an impression in their first collegiate 10K, while sophomore
Zac Rutherford returns to action and looks to build momentum heading into track season.
For the women, sophomore
Aaliyah Joshua, who recently broke into Little Rock's all-time top 10 for the 6K (ninth overall), will lead the charge. Sophomore
Kamryn Baggs and freshman
Eva Tice look to improve upon their conference performances, while junior
Kennedie Rhein brings valuable experience as she competes in her third regional meet.
For the latest information on Little Rock Cross Country/Track and Field, check out LRTrojans.com. You can also follow the team on social media at @LittleRockTFXC on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
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