STEPHENVILLE – A pair of new faces are set to join the Tarleton women’s cross country and track and field program, as head coach Pat Ponder announced the signings of Allison Hedrick and Sage Lancaster on Thursday.
Hedrick arrives at Tarleton from Lindsay High School, where she has won five individual TX UIL 2A state championships in cross country and track and field. Lancaster, from Denton Ryan High School, notched a first-place finish at the UIL 5A District 08 XC Championship during her junior year and competed in District and Area championships in track and field in 2018 and 2019.
They are the first announced members of the Texans’ 2021 recruiting class. Both athletes will run cross country and compete in distance events during the track and field season.
Allison Hedrick | Lindsay, Texas | Lindsay HS
Hedrick won the 1,600m and 3,200m at the TX UIL 2A State Championship this spring to become a five-time state champion. It was a repeat performance for Hedrick, who took first in both events at the championship meet in 2019. Hedrick’s fifth state title came during the 2019 cross country season in the 3,200m.
“We are so excited to add Allison to our Tarleton State Family,” Ponder said. “Both her mom and dad attended Tarleton State. She is a driven young lady and has accomplished so much in her young career. We are blessed to have such a great athlete and a terrific person. Her work ethic will be contagious on our team next fall.”
Her personal records are 5:17.76 in the 1,600m, 11:29.52 in the 3,200m and 18:17.90 in the 5,000m. She has finished first as an individual 31 times at separate cross country and track and field meets.
Hedrick posted a trio of first place finishes in the 2-mile at the UIL 2A Region 2 XC Championship from 2018-2020 in addition to her state title. She has yet to lose in the 1,600m or 3,200m during an outdoor track and field season at Lindsay HS.
Hedrick branched out and anchored Lindsay’s 4x400m relay team at three meets in 2019. The Knights finished second in the event (4:09.18) at the UIL 2A Region II meet and took ninth at the state championships (4:13.65).
Lindsay did not compete in the 2020 track and field season.
Sage Lancaster | Denton, Texas | Denton Ryan HS
Lancaster set personal records in the 1,600m (5:22.37), 3,200m (11:41.36) during her junior year and proved herself versatile on the track. She has competed in the 400m and 800m and on relay teams in addition to distance events.
“We welcome Sage to our family,” Ponder said. “She is a strong competitor and will be an asset to our team. I am looking forward to watching her and our team succeed over the next few years.
“Sage is an extremely tough competitor, a fighter who just refuses to quit,” Ponder continued. “She will make an impact on our program immediately. She comes from an outstanding cross country and track program at Denton Ryan High School.”
Lancaster clocked in at 19:26.09 and finished fourth at the North Texas XC Circuit Meet in October to notch a new personal record in the 5,000m.
She won the 5A District 08 Championship a year earlier with a time of 19:47 and posted consecutive fifth place finishes at the meet in 2017 and 2018. As a freshman, Lancaster earned an invitation to race at the NXR South Regional Championships.
On the track, Lancaster has recorded seven top-two finishes in the 800m, 1,600m and 3,200m for her career. She took first in the 1,600m at the Justin Northwest Texan Invitational in February with a time of 5:24.94 and also finished second and ran a personal-best 2:24.84 in the 800m.
Lancaster finished in the top-10 in the 800m, 1,600m, and 3,200m in both the UIL District 05 and UIL 5A Area 05/06 Championships as a freshman and sophomore.
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