CHARLOTTE, N.C. \u2013\u00a0Charlotte Cross Country will open its season on both the men’s and women’s sides this Friday (Sept. 11) across town at McAlpine Creek Park for the Queen City Invite. The Women’s 5K will start at 6:00 p.m., with the Men’s 8K scheduled to follow at 6:45 p.m.<\/p>\n
DATE AND LOCATION<\/p>\n
\ud83d\uddd3\ufe0f<\/a>\u00a0September 10 – W 5K: 6:00 p.m. & M 8K: 6:45 p.m.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udccd<\/a>\u00a0McAlpine Creek Park \/\/ Charlotte, N.C.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcca\u00a0Live Results<\/a><\/p>\n PRE-SEASON RANKINGS<\/p>\n Both the men and the women are coming off Top-5 finishes at the American Conference Cross Country Championships last season, with the women placing third and the men placing fourth. Combined, the two teams return 34 runners (17 women, 17 men), including six runners (one woman, five men) who raced in the NCAA Southeast Regionals.<\/p>\n The Niners are under new leadership this season, with first-year Division I head coach Riley Macon<\/a> taking charge.\u00a0Macon comes to Charlotte after a successful stint as the head cross country coach and assistant track and field coach at MIT, where he led the Beavers’ cross country program to two Division III National Championships.<\/p>\n FRESH FACES<\/p>\n The Niners added five total runners this season, three women and two men. All five come to the Niners as freshmen. Tatum Tsumas<\/a>, Stella Nappa<\/a>, and Elizabeth Weltz<\/a> are the three newcomers on the women’s side, while the men added Eric Gillis<\/a> and Warner Clark<\/a>.<\/p>\n TIME TO SHINE<\/p>\n With a majority of returners, the Niners have veteran rosters that include 20 upperclassmen across both the men’s and women’s sides.<\/p>\n Notable returners on the women’s side include seniors Natalia Martin<\/a> and Lily Rogers<\/a>, who have both raced at American Conference Championships and last season at the NCAA Southeast Regionals.<\/p>\n