CHARLESTON, S.C. - College of Charleston head coach for cross country and track & field Amy Seago has announced the schedule for the 2012 cross country season.
The Cougars will open the season by traveling to Columbia, S.C. to compete in the USC Gamecock Invitational Aug. 31. The next week the team will host the College of Charleston Invitational.
"Our schedule this year is built around the events that will best prepare us for the Southern Conference and Regional Championships," Seago said. "We will again host the College of Charleston Invitational at the Trophy Lakes course. Since we hosted the conference championship at the same course last year, our early competition will give us a good measure of the shape we're in"
The Cougars will also travel to Winthrop (Sept. 15), UNC Charlotte (Sept. 28) and the Citadel (Oct. 13) before competing in the Southern Conference Championship Oct. 27.
"The Citadel is hosting the SoCon Championship and we are fortunate we only have to travel across town in our preparations for that course," Seago said. "The Regional meet is at one of the team's favorite courses and we are excited to be participating in the Regional pre-view meet on the 28th of Sept. With the fast courses we'll have the opportunity to run on, I'm hopeful that we might see a school record or two fall."
Last year the women's team finished fifth at the SoCon Championship with sophomore Dena O'Brien placing third individually. O'Brien went on to finish 11th at the NCAA Regional in a school record time of 20:40 for the 6K race.
On the men's side the team finished eighth at the SoCon Championship as two runners nearly broke the school record of 25:33.60. Sophomore Andrew Nelson finished 34th in 25:35.09 and senior Eric Robertson finished 35th in 25:35.49. Their times are third and fourth best in school history.
