Cross Country Opens the 2009 Season Friday
9/3/2009 6:41:00 PM | Track & Field/XC
STATESBORO, Ga. - The Georgia Southern cross country team kicks off its 2009 season Friday at the Gamecock Invitational at 6 p.m. The twelve team 5K meet will be held at Hilton Fields in Fort Jackson.
"We are ready to start competition. It is always exciting to see exactly where your team is so that you know what direction you need to head," said head coach Natalie Smith.
The Eagles sport one of the largest roster's in school history with a good mix of returners and newcomers.
Returning from last year's squad are Leah Bradley (McDonough, Ga.), Laura Fuller (Cartersville, Ga.), Shauntel Jennings (Stone Mountain, Ga.), Kassi Lee (Elberton, Ga.), Brittani Martin (Alpharetta, Ga.), Azura Robillard (Altamonte Springs, Fla.) and Melissa Royer (Cumming, Ga.).
Bradley improved on her 5K time in every meet except one last season and will look to get off to a good start. Lee led the Eagles at the SoCon Championships and set her career best with a time of 19:49.53.
"We are looking for dramatic improvement from our start last year, and I do believe that we will see it happen on Friday," stated Smith.
Seven freshmen and one member of the track and field squad join the cross country team for their first collegiate cross country competition this year.
"This team is extremely young so I am anxious to see how they respond in our first competition," said Smith.
