Lyric Ford’s collegiate running career is off to a flying start at Maryville University.

The Montgomery County graduate enjoyed a strong freshman season that included a victory and a Freshman of the Year award in cross country and two wins in track and field. She competed in six cross country meets, five indoor track meets and six outdoor track meets for the NCAA Division II school in St. Louis.

Ford’s last race was on May 2, when she competed in the Great Lakes Valley Conference championship meet at Truman State University. After that, she couldn’t believe that her freshman year was over.

“It’s a little crazy because it went by really fast,” Ford said. “I remember moving in the first week. For me, it felt a little weird because we hadn’t started school yet. So it kind of felt like I was out of summer camp. But then, once school started up, it flew by so fast. It felt like I blinked and then I moved out of my dorm and headed home for the summer. But it was so fun.”

Ford was coming off an outstanding high school running career at MCHS that included four all-state medals each in cross country and track. While at Maryville, she was reunited with another MCHS running standout, Dawson McCown, who wrapped up his sophomore year with the Saints.

“I am so very happy that I have him,” said Ford, who graduated from MCHS in 2023. “He was there a year before me. He went through everything that I did this past year.”

Ford finished third in her first college cross country meet, the Redhawk Invitational at Cape Girardeau. She won the individual championship of the Principia Border War Championships and helped her team capture the team title. She earned GLVC Freshman of the Year honors after placing 25th in the conference meet at Bolivar.

Ford played a big role for a women’s cross country team that had a combined 10 freshmen and sophomores and was coached by Kayla Kregel.

“It was definitely a transition because I have been coached by coach Rodgers for nine years, so transitioning from her to a different coach was definitely a struggle,” Ford said. “On top of that, Maryville is very hilly. Training wise, my body had to adjust to new coaches, new training and being away from home and the new terrain.”

Ford was the Saints’ top finisher at the Midwest Regional championship meet at Evansville, Ind., placing 78th with a 22:19.

“That was really exciting because I was slightly frustrated with my times throughout cross country,” Ford said. “I felt like I was capable of so much more, but I couldn’t get there. It was exciting because at regionals, that was where I ran my first national meet whenever I first started running in fifth grade. It was cool being able to go back to that same course and run the regional meet there.”

During the indoor track season, Ford won the 1,600 and 3,000 at the Illinois College Snow Bird Invite on Jan. 20, her first indoor track meet. She also competed in meets at Pittsburg State, Northwest Missouri State, Principia College and the GLVC conference meet at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis.

“What I really liked about the indoor is the distance medley relay, so it was a relay with my teammates and we each got to run a different distance,” Ford said. “I really enjoyed that because I love relays. It’s not only a distance relay, but it’s a relay where I get to run the mile, which is really fun.”

In the outdoor track season, Ford competed in the 800, 1,500 and the 1,600-meter relay. She ran a personal-best 4:46.16 in the 1,500 at the season-ending GLVC meet.

“I was very satisfied with where I ended the year with my times,” Ford said. “I was satisfied with where I left off. I know I still have to make it through cross country and indoor track, but I am so excited for outdoor track next year.”