Patterson Qualifies for Class 6A State Meet
Midland Lee freshman Roxie Patterson will compete in the Class 6A girls state cross country race on Friday.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Running
Midland Lee freshman Roxie Patterson qualified for the UIL Class 6A Cross Country State Championships after finishing sixth overall at the Region I-6A meet on Oct. 26. She is the first Lee girls runner to make state since 2007.
Why it matters
Patterson's qualification marks a return of a Midland Lee girls runner to the state meet for the first time in nearly two decades. Her result places a young athlete among the top runners in the region's competitive field.
Patterson finished sixth of 186 competitors at the regional meet in 18 minutes, a field that included five of the top 10 teams in the Class 6A poll. Her state-race placement remains unknown until Friday's 5-kilometer race.
The players
Roxie Patterson
Roxie Patterson is a freshman runner at Midland Lee High School who qualified for the Class 6A state cross country championships.
Midland Lee High School
Midland Lee High School is a public high school in Midland, Texas, competing in the UIL Class 6A classification.
The details
Patterson earned her state berth by finishing sixth overall at the Region I-6A Cross Country Championships at Mae Simmons Park in Lubbock. The top 10 runners not on one of the top four teams earned individual berths to state, and she is scheduled to race at Old Settlers Park in Round Rock.
Timeline
Oct. 26: Patterson qualified at the Region I-6A Cross Country Championships in Lubbock.
Friday, 8:15 a.m.: Class 6A girls 5-kilometer state championship race begins at Old Settlers Park.
Season Trajectory
Patterson's state berth is the first for a Midland Lee girls runner since 2007, ending nearly two decades without a state qualifier from the program. Her result adds to the depth of a Class 6A girls field drawn from the top regional teams.
Patterson's Friday start time is 8:15 a.m. at Old Settlers Park, and the top 10 finishers receive medals and recognition at a UIL ceremony. Her finish will determine whether she reaches her top-10 goal.
The takeaway
Patterson's qualification shows how a single regional result can open a path to state for a first-year runner. Watching her Friday race will show whether the program's return to the state meet continues.
What happens next
Patterson competes in the Class 6A girls 5-kilometer state championship race at Old Settlers Park in Round Rock at 8:15 a.m. Friday.
Further reading
For more local high school distance coverage, see the Running section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Midland Reporter-Telegram.
