Cross Country Set to Host 2019 Elon Opener

ELON, N.C. – The Elon University cross country programs will open the 2019 campaign with its annual home meet, the Elon Opener, on Friday night, August 30. The meet begins at 8:15 p.m. with the women’s 4K followed by the men’s 6K at 8:40 p.m.

MEET INFO

The meet, which is the lone home meet on the teams’ schedule this fall, is free to all spectators. Full results of the meet can be found on elonphoenix.com after the race.

Follow @ElonXCTF
Updates of the meet will be posted on the teams’ social media pages on Twitter and Instagram at the handle, @ElonXCTF.

About the Field
The Phoenix is scheduled to host 12 other teams at the meet, its largest field ever at the meet. Other schools expected to compete this Friday includes Campbell, Duke, Longwood, Louisburg College, North Carolina A&T, North Carolina Central, North Carolina, Patrick Henry CC, Shaw, UNCG, UNCW and William Peace.

A total of 242 athletes are expected to race on Friday. Elon will have 22 runners on the course Friday night, 13 on the women’s side and nine for the men. Of the 22 athletes to represent the Phoenix, 10 will be making their collegiate or Elon debut.

Women’s Preview
The Phoenix returns 12 letterwinners from its team a season ago and seven who competed at last year’s Colonial Athletic Association Championship meet in which Elon was two points from claiming the league title.

Melissa Anastasakis returns after earning All-CAA accolades for the third straight season. The Hillsdale, Ontario, native was 10th overall at the CAA Championships and was the leading runner for the maroon and gold at the NCAA Southeast Regional Championships. Sophomore Hannah Preeo is the next-highest returner from the CAA meet for the Phoenix after the Wollongong, Australia, native was 15th at the meet.

Women’s Scheduled Starting Line
Melissa Anastasakis
Lila Bensky
Grace Dellapa
Bridget Kanaley
Scolasticah Kemei
Sami King
Stephanie Lair
Lauren Lynch
Hannah Miller
Hannah Preeo
Emily Smith
Margaret Springer
Anna Twomey

Men’s Preview
The Phoenix male harriers return Andrew Miller, who garnered All-CAA honors from his rookie campaign and led Elon in a majority of the races last season. Senior Richie Kasper is back as the lone upperclassmen for the men’s squad while sophomores Kieran Ungemach and Connor White round out the returners for Elon.

Each of the men’s five newcomers will race at the meet on Friday. Martin Adams, Tamer Metwalli, Dillon Selfors, Mitchell Shannon and Aidan Tierney will don the maroon and gold for the first time with the Phoenix men.

Men’s Scheduled Starting Line
Martin Adams
Richie Kasper
Tamer Metwalli
Andrew Miller
Dillon Selfors
Mitchell Shannon
Aidan Tierney
Kieran Ungemach
Connor White

Up Next
Elon travels to the JMU Invitational on Sept. 14 at the site of the 2019 CAA Cross Country Championship meet.