By Jackson Posey | Sports Writer
Baylor cross country is set to open its season on Friday in San Antonio, as the team travels to the University of the Incarnate Word’s annual Twilight meet at the Classics Elite Soccer Complex.
The meet is truly a “twilight” event, as it doesn’t begin until 8:50 p.m. The late start gets everyone out of their comfort zones.
“It’s definitely past my bedtime,” junior Hayden Gold, who earned Indoor All-Big 12 honors in 2022, said. “I think if you’re ready to perform, you’re going to perform anyway. It might not be the best race; it might be the best race. You never know. I’m excited to have just a little bit different type of day. Definitely cooler than the mornings, so that’s something to look forward to as well.”
It’s a unique way to start the season. The group hasn’t raced since May, and many are excited to get back in the groove of competitive running.
“It’s good to just get into a race,” graduate student Ryan Hodge, who was named Indoor All-Big 12 in 2022 and 2023, said. “Workouts are obviously a good kind of indication of how fit you are. But really, it comes down to the race. So it’ll be fun to kind of just mix it up … It’s, I think, a pretty chill meet overall. So I think running at night, that’s fun too. It’s different.”
Following heavy graduations last spring, the Bears are breaking in a lot of fresh runners. Hodge expects them to make an immediate impact in San Antonio.
“[We need to] make sure the younger guys don’t go out too crazy or don’t go out too [far ahead of the pack] … anything that they’re not capable of,” Hodge said. “But I think they should be at the top of the race also. I think, really, all Baylor should be in the top 50 in the race.”
Hodge isn’t the only one who believes that. Head coach David Barnett spoke just as highly about the team’s freshman class.
“They all have a sense of urgency,” Barnett said. “They know that their best opportunities are going to be early in the season, and if they want to have more, they have to make the most of these. They’re all testing the waters with the upperclassmen and seeing where they are, and I’ve been really pleased with their efforts so far.”
Heading into his third season at Baylor, Barnett aims higher: conference and regional level progress and “hopefully” some runners making nationals.
“We just want to keep making progress,” Barnett said. “And after the first meet or two, you’ll have a better idea specifically what people are capable of. But for now, it’s more process-oriented goals. Year two was better than year one for me. Year three, I think, will be better. I think everyone’s just kind of trending in the right direction. Bottom line is, you just want to be more competitive than you were the year before.”
