CHARLESTON, S.C. - The College of Charleston men's and women's cross country teams embark on the 2011 season and they begin on Friday at the Eye Opener meet hosted by USC Upstate in Spartanburg, S.C. at the Roger Milliken Center.

The collegiate women's 5K race will start at 7:00 p.m. with the collegiate men's 8K race to follow at 7:30 p.m. A total of 23 teams are currently registered to compete in the meet.

The Cougars will race nine men and eight women, with many of the newcomers getting their first taste of collegiate racing.

Head Coach Amy Seago said she is excited for the start of the season and thinks depth will be a big advantage for her team.

"I look around and I see a lot more people that are at practice and will compete for our team," she said. "I am very optimistic about what we can do with that depth for both the men's and women's teams."

The Cougars will race three times in the Charleston area this season, the first being the College of Charleston Invite on Sept. 10. Two weeks later they will compete in the Citadel Invitational. The team is also preparing to host the Southern Conference Championship, Oct. 29 at Trophy Lakes on Johns Island.

For all the latest track & field news stay tuned to CofCSports.com and follow the team on twitter (@CofCSports) and Facebook (College of Charleston Cross Country/Track & Field).