Photo by: Liz Parke
Mountaineers Begin at Charlotte Opener
August 30, 2018 11:28 AM | Cross Country
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University cross country team kicks off the 2018 season at the Charlotte Opener in Concord, North Carolina, on Friday, Aug. 31.
The women's 6k race is set to begin at 6:30 p.m. ET at Frank Liske Park. The Mountaineers are one of seven schools competing at the season-opening meet, which also features UNC Charlotte, Davidson, Georgia, Queens, North Carolina and Wake Forest.
"We are changing things up a bit this year," said WVU coach Sean Cleary, who begins his 12th season at the helm. "Traditionally, we have raced near home or on the regional course to begin the season. This, for the most part, is a brand-new team in a rebuilding year, so I wanted to expose them to an appropriate level of competition with new experiences.
"We are looking forward to putting a few new Mountaineers in the uniform with some experienced upperclassmen to teach them our routines."
Friday marks WVU's first visit to Frank Liske Park in program history. The squad won the Lehigh Invitational to open the 2017 season, marking the second consecutive year and third time in four years the Mountaineers opened a season with a win.
Eight letterwinners return to Morgantown this fall, while 11 newcomers join the Mountaineers' roster. WVU finished fourth at the 2017 Big 12 Championship and seventh at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional last season.
In the 2018 United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) preseason regional rankings, West Virginia ranked sixth in the Mid-Atlantic Region.
For more information on the Mountaineers, visit WVUsports.com and follow WVUCrossCountry on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
The women's 6k race is set to begin at 6:30 p.m. ET at Frank Liske Park. The Mountaineers are one of seven schools competing at the season-opening meet, which also features UNC Charlotte, Davidson, Georgia, Queens, North Carolina and Wake Forest.
"We are changing things up a bit this year," said WVU coach Sean Cleary, who begins his 12th season at the helm. "Traditionally, we have raced near home or on the regional course to begin the season. This, for the most part, is a brand-new team in a rebuilding year, so I wanted to expose them to an appropriate level of competition with new experiences.
"We are looking forward to putting a few new Mountaineers in the uniform with some experienced upperclassmen to teach them our routines."
Friday marks WVU's first visit to Frank Liske Park in program history. The squad won the Lehigh Invitational to open the 2017 season, marking the second consecutive year and third time in four years the Mountaineers opened a season with a win.
Eight letterwinners return to Morgantown this fall, while 11 newcomers join the Mountaineers' roster. WVU finished fourth at the 2017 Big 12 Championship and seventh at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional last season.
In the 2018 United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) preseason regional rankings, West Virginia ranked sixth in the Mid-Atlantic Region.
For more information on the Mountaineers, visit WVUsports.com and follow WVUCrossCountry on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
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