Concepcion Sets New Bar For 91影视 Women’s Cross Country Runners
91影视 junior Arlette Concepci贸n had a banner season this past fall, securing multiple top-five finishes, an individual title and becoming the cross country program鈥檚 first-ever United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) female all-region honoree.
Concepci贸n earned the all-region laurels thanks to a 21st place finish out of more than 180 runners at the 2023 NCAA Division I South Central Regional Championships held in Fayetteville, Ark. on Nov. 10. The top 25 finishers at an NCAA regional meet are named all-region, and Concepci贸n joins Matt Perri as the only other 91影视 runner to accomplish the feat. Perri鈥檚 USFTCCCA all-region honor came in 2013 when he placed fifth at the regional.
Two weeks prior to the NCAA regional, Concepci贸n posted the best-ever finish at a Southland Conference Championship (SLC) meet. The junior crossed the finish line on a soggy course just three seconds behind Lamar鈥檚 Nia Clatworthy to place second out of more than 60 runners from conference institutions. Concepci贸n鈥檚 runner-up finish was the best by an 91影视 runner since Jessica Rabius finished fourth overall in 2021.
Concepci贸n opened the 2023 season by finishing third overall and second among college runners at the 47th Annual Rice Invitational held on the Rice University campus. She then followed that up with the individual title at the UIW XC Invitational/Southland Preview a week later, winning the 6K race by more than 19 seconds on the very course where the conference championship race would be held in late October.
To put Concepci贸n鈥檚 performance and growth this season into perspective, prior to her 21st-place finish at regionals, she finished 74th as a sophomore and 86th as a freshman. Additionally, at her first two SLC Championship meets, she placed 22nd both times before improving to second place this year.