Parks Added To Foot Locker Field After Cochran Injury


Taryn Parks is going to San Diego after all.

Parks, the 11th place finisher at Foot Locker Northeast, was added to the list of Foot Locker Nationals qualifiers on Tuesday. Her Greencastle-Antrim coach Rich Seacrest confirmed the news to PennTrackXC Wednesday morning.

Parks will be replacing Moon Area (PA) sophomore Mia Cochran, who decided to drop out of the national meet due to a hip injury. Cochran placed tenth at Foot Locker Northeast. 

Parks was in position for a national-qualifying spot at FLNE, but struggled to the finish, falling multiple times before getting passed by Cochran at the line. The top ten qualify for nationals and Parks finished in the unlucky 11th place.

The decision to add Parks to the field means the Greencastle-Antrim senior has made Foot Locker Nationals every year of her high school career. Parks becomes the first girl to qualify for the national meet four times since Makena Morley of Montana accomplished the feat from 2011 to 2014.

Parks has finished progressively better each year at Foot Locker Nationals. She was 40th as a freshman, 36th as a sophomore, and 27th as a junior.