CONWAY, Ark. – The University of Central Arkansas men's and women's cross country teams started the 2019 campaign with a bang as the Bears won the 2019 UCA XC Challenge at Beaverfork Lake Park on Saturday. The women claimed the top-5 spots of the women's race, while the men took four of the top-7 spots.
 
Gracie Hyde paced the women with a personal-best time in the 4K distance with a mark of 14:32.1 and claimed the top spot. Erin Woodward finished with a career-best mark of 14:47.4 and placed second. Sara Steimel started her UCA career with a time of 14:55.7 and brought home third place. Julia Clark made her debut with a fourth-place time of 15:12.6. With a run of 15:14.5, Tamara Reeves debuted for the Bears with a fifth-place finish. Casey Gore closed out the top-10 with a career-best run of 15:50.8.
 
The UCA women claimed the victory with a total of 15 points, ahead of rival Little Rock (82), Southern Arkansas (95) and Oral Roberts (106) in the 10-team field.
 
Hunter Henderson paced the men with a second-place finish and a career-best time of 19:08.5 on the 6K course. Parker Jackson debuted with a third-place run of 19:13.2. Max Nores clocked a time of 19:25.0 and placed sixth in his first race as a Bear. With a mark of 19:28.8, Calvin Allen placed seventh in his debut at UCA. James Kees debuted with a run of 19:41.6 to round out the top-10.
 
The UCA men posted a team score of 25 to win the meet, followed by Southern Arkansas (87), Oral Roberts (89), and Arkansas-Pine Bluff (94) in the 13-team field.
 
UCA collected four points in the Governor's I-40 Showdown with rival Little Rock. The sweep by the Bears gives Central Arkansas a 4-0 lead in the year-long matchup with Little Rock.
 
The Bears return to action on Saturday, September 21, for the John McNichols Invitational in Terre Haute, Indiana.
 
From the Coach – Head Coach Beau Theriot
"I knew we had a good team and we still sat out one of our top-5 from last year, Charlotte Blair. To come out a huge group of freshmen and sophomores, with one senior, and to run as well as they did it's an incredible feeling to have that in the beginning of the year. On the men's side it was great to have a victory, but even better we did it without some of our top runners from last year. To do that with fresh new faces and only one runner who was a returner from last year, Hunter Henderson who placed second overall, which is a huge positive on the guys' side."
 
Women's Results
Men's Results
 
Women's Team Results
1. UCA – 15
2. Arkansas-Little Rock – 82
3. Southern Arkansas – 95
4. Oral Roberts – 106
5. College of the Ozarks – 120
6. John Brown – 147
7. Ouachita Baptist – 173
8. Arkansas-Pine Bluff – 236
9. Lyon – 256
10. Mississippi Valley – 264
 
Men's Team Results
1. UCA – 25
2. Arkansas-Little Rock – 68
3. Southern Arkansas – 93
4. Arkansas-Pine Bluff – 103
5. Oral Roberts – 128
6. John Brown – 150
7. College of the Ozarks – 167
8. Mississippi Valley – 255
9. Lyon – 280
10. Hendrix – 300
11. Central Baptist – 322
12. Arkansas-Monticello – 339
13. LeMoyne-Owen – 357
 
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