- - -
The Nike Cross Nationals (NXN) is widely seen as the team championships for the cross country season. To qualify, you have to earn your way by placing in the top two places at each regional championships.
That is what Southlake Carroll and Bridgeland were able to do. The third place team finishers Austin Vandegrift had to sit and wait a week to see if they would receive an at-large bid. Only four teams from across the country were named for the at-large bids.
On the boys side, it was American Fork (Utah), Glendora (California), and Taylorsville (Utah) also getting the nod to NXN and on the girls side, it was Carmel (Indiana), Lone Peak (Utah), J Serra (California), and Fossil Ridge (Colorado).
Vandegrift was considered one of the best teams in the country with top rankings in the South Region as well as in the state of Texas.
They were runner-ups at the 2024 UIL 6A state championships before their third place finish at NXR South. Vandegrift ran a 15:33 team average with a 0:35 spread from runners one through five.