The Arkansas Razorbacks women’s cross country team has been placed among the top 20 in national preseason rankings ahead of the 2025 season. FloTrack ranks the Razorbacks at No. 18, while the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) places them at No. 22 nationally. The team also holds the No. 1 spot in the South Central Region and is ranked third in the Southeastern Conference (SEC).
This year marks Chris Johnson’s third season as head coach for the women’s team, and Marc Burns’ first as cross country head coach. Leading the roster are All-Americans Paityn Noe and Sydney Thorvaldson. According to FloTrack, Noe is ranked fourth individually after her seventh-place finish at the 2024 NCAA Championships, while Thorvaldson is ranked 33rd.
FloTrack lists BYU as its top-ranked program, followed by Oregon, NC State, Stanford, New Mexico, Alabama, Florida, Washington, Northern Arizona, and Oklahoma State rounding out the top ten.
Arkansas finished 17th at last year’s NCAA Championships and shares its current national ranking with LSU from both SEC and South Central Region. Other SEC schools featured in FloTrack’s rankings include Tennessee (22) and Oklahoma (31).
In USTFCCCA’s poll, Arkansas stands at No. 21 nationally; other SEC teams include Alabama (9) and Florida (11), with Tennessee and South Carolina receiving votes.
BYU also leads USTFCCCA’s national poll with Oregon second and NC State third.
Arkansas maintains its position as the top seed in the South Central Region for a twelfth straight year—an area that includes Tulane (No. 2), Texas, Texas A&M, and LSU among its leading programs. The Razorbacks have won thirteen consecutive regional titles since 2011; their most recent victory was secured by a narrow margin over Texas.
Conference coaches’ voting placed Arkansas third in this year’s SEC preseason poll behind Alabama—who received seven first-place votes—and Florida—who received nine first-place votes—with Oklahoma and Texas A&M completing the conference’s projected top five teams.
Arkansas opens its season Friday at the Mizzou Opener before competing at Agri Park during October’s Chile Pepper Festival.
