Local cross country, track and softball athlete will run for the Oklahoma Sooners
Track and cross country wasn’t Gabi Barrera’s first choice, but when she started running during her sophomore year at Keller Timber Creek in a way to stay in shape for softball, she liked it, continued and became one of the area’s top runners.
Two years later and she’s joining one of the top programs in the country, announcing her commitment to Oklahoma.
“Oklahoma was just a really good fit for me. I love the staff there,” said Barrera, a senior. “I’m really looking forward to build a program up there and it’s always been a longtime dream of mine to be a Sooner. I always loved OU because I looked up to their softball team. I go to Oklahoma City every year to watch them play in the World Series.”
Barrera, who plays second base in softball, finished 12th at the UIL cross country state meet in 2018 with a time of 17:36. Then during the 2019 track season, she was ranked seventh in the state with a mile-run of 4:58.
She was second-team all-state and won multiple meets that season.
An injury caused her to miss her junior cross country season and the coronavirus canceled the track season in the spring. Barrera is ready to get back to running. “I’m excited to race again,” she said.
Timber Creek will begin fall practices and meets in September as COVID-19 pushed back the start for schools in Class 6A and 5A. The lower classes have already started.
