ELON, N.C. – Elon University head cross country coach Christine Engel announced the 2013 schedule for the men’s and women’s programs on Tuesday, July 23. The Phoenix will compete in eight meets during the year, including its home event, the Elon Invitational, and at the NCAA Pre-Nationals in Terra Haute, Ind.
“I’m looking forward to the start of the season,” said Engel. “Competing in these early season meets will help us get stronger down the stretch as we head into the conference and regional championships.”
The Phoenix kicks off its 2013 campaign at the Demon Deacon Quad for the second straight year on Aug. 30. In last season’s relay-style meet, the women captured the event title while the men finished third.
The maroon and gold will race twice in the month of September, beginning with its fifth annual home event, the Elon Invitational, on Sept. 14. The men and women will look to defend their 2012 titles on their home course. Elon wraps up the month at the Charlotte Invitational on Sept. 28.
“We’re heading into the fifth year of our invitational, which is really exciting,” said Engel. “We have gotten so much support through the years from Elon student-athletes and the athletic staff in other sports coming to support us on our home turf.”
On Oct. 18, the majority of the squad treks to Boone, N.C., for the Blue Ridge Open, hosted by Appalachian State University. A day later, members of the women’s team travel to the site of this year’s national championships, Terra Haute, Ind., for the NCAA Pre-Nationals. This is the second year that Elon has competed at the meet, which features some of the top programs and competitors in the country.
“Going to the Pre-Nationals was a great experience for our top group of women last season,” said Engel. “It’s always great to go against some of the other top teams in the country and it will be a good indicator meet.”
On Nov. 2, the Phoenix travels to Birmingham, Ala., for the 2013 Southern Conference Cross Country Championships, hosted by Samford University. The women’s team finished as the runner-up in last year’s championships – just four points shy of the league title. Three runners – Elyse Bierut, Tereza Novotna and Allyson Oram – earned second-team All-SoCon honors with their performances. On the men’s side, Luis Vargas recorded the highest finish ever for an Elon male at the conference meet with his sixth place standing and became the first member of the program to garner first-team All-SoCon accolades.
The Phoenix will compete at the NC State Last Stripe meet on Nov. 9, before heading to the NCAA Southeast Regional Championships in Charlottesville, Va., on Nov. 15. Vargas set a new school-record at last year’s regional championships in the 10K with a time of 31.35.37, while the women posted their best finish ever at the regional.
2013 Elon Cross Country Schedule
Aug. 30 – Demon Deacon Quad (Winston Salem, N.C.)
Sept. 14 – Elon Invitational (Elon, N.C.)
Sept. 28 – Charlotte Invitational (Charlotte, N.C.)
Oct. 18 – Blue Ridge Open (Boone, N.C.)
Oct. 19 – NCAA Pre-Nationals (Terra Haute, Ind.)
Nov. 2 – Southern Conference Championships (Birmingham, Ala.)
Nov. 9 – NC State Last Stripe Invitational (Raleigh, N.C.)
Nov. 15 – NCAA Southeast Regional (Charlottesville, Va.)