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2021 Men's Cross Country

Hayden Ricca

  • Class Senior
  • Major Psychology
  • Hometown New Orleans, La.
  • Prev School Jesuit High School

Biography

2021 (5th-year Senior):

SSAC All-Conference… Raced in four meets this season, including the NAIA Men’s National Championship for the fourth straight season… Individually qualified for the NAIA National Championship and finished a career-high 78th with a time of 26:34.0, the sixth-fastest time in program history at the championship… Placed fifth at the Southern States Athletic Conference with a time of     26:08.6, which was the ninth-fastest time in program history and a season-best for the senior… SSAC Men’s Runner of the Week (Oct. 12).

2020-21 (Senior):

Participated in all five meets this season, finishing in first place in two of those meets… Started the season with a first-place finish at the Lois Davis Invitational (27:38.9), then won the Wolf Pack Invitational with a 5K time of 15:51.4… Placed second at the Lyon College Spring Invitational with an 8K time of 27:20.2… Earned a second-place finish at the A.i.i. Championships with a time of 27:28.4… Finished the NAIA National Championships in 109th place nationally with a time of 26:20.5.

2019 (Junior):

Competed in all six races this season, including an appearance in the NAIA National Championship for the second straight season … Placed 97th out of 330-plus runners at the national championship with a time of 26:22.3 … Received SSAC All-Conference honors after placing third at the conference championship … He was also named to the SSAC Musco Lighting Champions of Character Team … Finished first among Loyola runners in five of the six races … Set an 8K school-record and new personal-record at the Watson Ford Invitational with a time of 25:04.4 to place fourth overall … Finished first overall on an 8K course at the Willie Laster (26:49.7) … Set a new 5K personal-record at the Allstate Sugar Bowl Festival with a time of 15:38.8, which was the second-fastest time in school history, and it was a good enough time to place second overall.

2018 (Sophomore):

Ran in five races, with four top-five finishes … Named to the All-Conference Team in the SSAC for the first time … Finished a season-high second in the 8K at the Major Blazer Invitational with a time of 27:21.50 … Qualified for the NAIA National Championship for the first time, finishing 162nd out of 330 participants with a time of 26:07.1, the second-fastest 8K time in school history.

2017 (Freshman): 

Competed in five events in his freshman season … Recorded a personal best 29:23.5 in the 8K at the Jacksonville State Foothills Invitational … Finished a season-high 5th at the Xavier Big Easy Opener with a time of 18:31.41 in the 5K … Placed 20th in the SSAC Championships 8K race with a time of 29:29.26, which was second among Loyola runners.