#22 Women's Cross Country 11/8/2019 2:55:00 PM

Stars look to win fifth consecutive SAC title

OCU is only SAC school in most recent poll

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City University women's cross country will be looking for its fifth straight Sooner Athletic Conference championship Saturday at Woodson Park.
OCU, ranked 24th in NAIA women's cross country, won the conference title in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018. The Stars produced individual champions during all four crowns: Sara Moore (2015), Aminat Olowora (2016, 2017) and Lydia Mato (2018). Coach Matt Aguero returns five runners from last year's championship squad.
Oklahoma City is the only school present in the latest NAIA women's cross country coaches' poll.
"We are the only ranked team right now but I think it is going to be pretty tough individually," Aguero said. "Sarah [Olamide] has ran well and there are a couple other girls in our conference that are pretty strong. Individually speaking, it is to win the individual title for one of our runners. It is going to be a little more difficult but I think we have a shot at doing that."
Three of OCU's all-SAC runners are back for their final SAC Championship meet. Seniors Sheridan Hoyer, Delaney Mayo and Alexas Vargas all finished inside the top 15 during last year's race.
Hoyer, a senior from Poteau, Okla., placed 10th at last year's SAC Championships with a time of 19 minutes, 42 seconds. The five-time track & field all-American earned her first cross country all-conference honor with the finish. Hoyer has run in three of OCU's five meets this fall and came in fifth place with a personal-best time of 18:58.06 at the Mid-States Classic in Winfield, Kan. on Oct. 26.
Mayo, a senior from Edmond, Okla., returns after a 14th place finish last season and her first all-conference accolade. Vargas, a senior from Terrell, Texas, came in right behind Mayo in 15th place at the SAC Championships, landing her first all-conference award in her first season.
"Sheridan and Delaney continue to get better each year," Aguero said. "Sheridan considered herself a mid-distance runner but has turned into a really good cross country runner for us. Hopefully all three of them will have a great senior conference meet."
Freshmen Kaitlyn Heffernan and Sarah Olamide have both been recognized as the SAC runner of the week this season. Heffernan, from Bentonville, Ark., took home the honor after a second place finish at the Red River Cross Country Shootout on Oct. 10. She finished the race in 19:39.6.
Olamide, from Lagos, Nigeria, earned her reward after winning the individual title at the Mid-States Classic with a time of 18:31.8. Heffernan finished in second place. Oklahoma City came in first place at the Mid-States Classic behind Olamide and Heffernan's first- and second-place results.
The conference champion earns an automatic bid into the NAIA Championships on Nov. 22 in Vancouver, Wash. The top 15 individuals will also receive national-meet bids, as well as all-conference honors.
The temperature is expected to be in the mid-50s. The forecast calls for winds up to 10-11 miles per hour with sunny skies.

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Players Mentioned

Lydia Mato: Senior

Sheridan Hoyer: 5' 6"; Senior

Delaney Mayo: Senior

Alexas Vargas: 5' 1"; Senior

Kaitlyn Heffernan: Freshman

Sarah Olamide: Freshman

Players Mentioned

Lydia Mato
: Senior

Sheridan Hoyer
: 5' 6"; Senior

Delaney Mayo
: Senior

Alexas Vargas
: 5' 1"; Senior

Kaitlyn Heffernan
: Freshman

Sarah Olamide
: Freshman