Abilene Senior Andruw Villa Awarded NXN At-Large

Andruw Villa competes at the 2023 UIL Cross Country 5A State Championships


Andruw Villa has enjoyed a very successful cross country career at Abilene High School. The senior will now end his high school harrier career competing for a national title.

This weekend, he was named as one of the five boys nationally to be named an individual at-large Nike Cross Nationals qualifier.

Villa placed seventh at the NXR South meet in 15:06 to be considered. He was the Region 1-5A runner-up and the UIL 5A state meet runner-up this season.

South Region boys individual qualifiers:

 Joseph Bariola (AR)

Adam Burlison (Amarillo)

Danny Aidan Torres (El Paso Eastwood)

Benjamin Montgomery (Cypress Bridgeland) 

Hudson Haley (Austin Vandegrift)

South Region boys team qualifiers:

Southlake Carroll  

Bentonville (AR)

Austin Vandegrift and Deer Creek (OK) were the two South Region boys possibilities for at-large had hoped to receive one of the four, but none were awarded to the region.

There also was neither a girls team nor individual at-large qualifier awarded to the South Region.

Lovejoy and The Woodlands were the two available South Region teams along with several individuals.

South Region girls individual qualifiers:

Elizabeth Leachman (Boerne Champion)

San Juanita Leal (Edinburg North)

Macy Wingard (Denton Braswell)

Madison Peters (Pearland)

Staucie Lees (Conroe Grand Oaks)

South Region girls team qualifiers:

Flower Mound

Southlake Carroll