FORT WORTH, TEXAS – UT Tyler began their postseason with a strong and historic performance at the Lone Star Conference Championships, as both teams recorded program-best third-place finishes. Five total runners earned All-Conference honors, and Grayson Williams became just the second athlete in program history to earn Freshman of the Year honors for his outstanding season.
The Patriots' men's team delivered their best-ever conference performance, placing third with 93 points after finishing sixth last year. All five scoring runners placed inside the top 30, with both Williams and David Soto finishing in the top 15 to secure All-Conference recognition.
Junior David Soto once again led the way for UT Tyler, placing eighth overall with a time of 25:18. Soto sat in third at the 2K split (6:10) before dropping to eighth at the 5K mark, where he would remain through the finish of the 8K race.
Freshman standout Williams followed closely behind, finishing 10th overall with a time of 25:22. He held fifth place at the 2K mark and sixth at the 5K mark before crossing the line in 10th. With his performance, Williams became only the second men's cross country runner in program history to earn Freshman of the Year honors, joining his teammate Soto.
Rounding out the scoring group were Austin Ponder (25:45, 20th place), Dylan Navarette (25:55, 25th place), and Chris Kopecky (26:06, 30th place). Additional UT Tyler finishers included Andres Rios (35th, 26:17), Aiden Faz (55th, 26:59), Kason Miles (67th, 27:32), Gaige Gordey (68th, 27:35), and Cristian Barron (70th, 27:40). This marked the best team finish for the men since their season-opening victory at the UT Tyler Cross Country Opener.
The Patriot women also turned in one of the most notable performances in program history, finishing third overall with 80 points—a remarkable improvement from last year's eighth-place finish. They came within just three points of second place, with four runners placing inside the top 20. Kailynn Denney, Macy Cogburn, and Finley Hunting all earned All-Conference honors.
Junior Denney continued her strong season with a sixth-place finish, clocking 21:43. She moved up from eighth at the 3K mark to finish sixth, becoming the first Patriot woman to earn All-Conference honors since the program joined the LSC.
Right behind her were Cogburn and Hunting, who finished eighth and 11th, respectively. Cogburn continued her impressive campaign with a time of 21:48 after passing the 3K split in 11:00.58. Hunting placed 11th with a time of 22:14—her best finish since week one—and finished just seven seconds outside the top ten.
Gracie Ladner and freshman Adison Richard rounded out the scoring group. Ladner placed 16th, her best finish since the opening week, with a time of 22:26. Richard finished 39th in 23:36, helping fuel the Patriots' historic team result.
Also competing for the Patriots were Giselle Alejandro (42nd, 23:43), Calista Turner (43rd, 23:52), Addison Truly (68th, 25:01), Kendall Daniels (88th, 26:12), and Marigold Hunter (93rd, 26:12).
This year marks the most combined All-Conference honors in program history. The women's team earned their first three All-Conference selections ever, while the men's team achieved multiple honorees in a single season for the first time.
Next up, UT Tyler will continue their postseason in Pueblo, Colorado, where they will compete at the NCAA South Central Regional Championships.
