COLLEGE STATION – Texas A&M cross country will host Lamar and UTSA on Friday evening in the Aggie Opener to start the season at the Dale Watts Cross Country course. The women's race over 4,000 meters begins at 6:45 p.m. and the men's race over 6,000 meters starts at 7:15 p.m.
In the NCAA South Central Region preseason rankings Lamar men are No. 4, A&M is No. 7 and UTSA is not ranked among the top 15. On the women's side the Aggies are No. 5 in the region with Lamar No. 8 and UTSA No. 14.
"We've been training for two weeks together, so it's nice to have a competition to break up training a bit," noted Texas A&M assistant coach Wendel McRaven. "Lamar has a good team with international athletes and their men finished third in the region last season. UTSA continues to get better. Both teams are in our region, so we'll get a chance to see where we're at in an early season meet."
The Aggie men will have a crew of 16 competing, led by Austin Wells and Cameron Villarreal. The group also includes Jake Bootz, Julian Castellano, Taylor Clayton, Christian Farris, Elliott Farris, Chandler Heikkila, Zach Martin, Aaron Murray, Jacob Perry, Alex Riba, Colin Stoeber, Ryan Teel, Juan Uribe, and Chase Van Voorhis.
Karis Jochen leads a group of 12 A&M women racing on Friday. The squad also includes Laura Craig, Haley Deakins, Lauren Fontana, Shelby McNeel, Devin Norton, Kelsey Persyn, Katie Pia, Arin Rice, Kelsie Warren, Rachel Williams and Emily Willingham.
"While this is a low key race to open the season it's still important for us to start setting a tone on what kind of team we're going to be in late October and November," said McRaven. "We've worked hard on some things in training and have talked about things in training as they relate to racing in leading up to this meet. The biggest challenge for this group is being able to execute in racing what we talk about and do in training."
The Watts course, which opened in the fall of 2014, is located within the new Hildebrand Equine Complex at 3242 F and B Road. The facility is accessible from F and B Road off the corner intersection with 2818.
NCAA South Central Region
Preseason rankings:
Men
1. Arkansas
2. Texas
3. North Texas
4. Lamar
5. Stephen F. Austin
6. UT Arlington
7. Texas A&M
8. McNeese State
9. Rice
10. Houston
11. Baylor
12. Central Arkansas
13. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
14. Louisiana-Lafayette
15. Tulane
Women
1. Arkansas
2. Texas
3. SMU
4. Baylor
5. Texas A&M
6. Rice
7. North Texas
8. Lamar
9. Arkansas State
10. Stephen F. Austin
11. UT Arlington
12. LSU
13. McNeese State
14. UTSA
15. Sam Houston State
2015 Texas A&M Cross Country Schedule
September
4 Aggie Opener Watts Course
- versus Lamar, UTSA
26 Texas A&M Invitational Watts Course
- College & High School teams
October
2 Notre Dame Invitational South Bend, Ind.
9 Houston Baptist Invitational Houston
16 Crimson Classic Tuscaloosa, Ala.
30 SEC CHAMPIONSHIPS Watts Course
November
13 NCAA South Central Region Watts Course
21 NCAA Championships Louisville, Ky.
In the NCAA South Central Region preseason rankings Lamar men are No. 4, A&M is No. 7 and UTSA is not ranked among the top 15. On the women's side the Aggies are No. 5 in the region with Lamar No. 8 and UTSA No. 14.
"We've been training for two weeks together, so it's nice to have a competition to break up training a bit," noted Texas A&M assistant coach Wendel McRaven. "Lamar has a good team with international athletes and their men finished third in the region last season. UTSA continues to get better. Both teams are in our region, so we'll get a chance to see where we're at in an early season meet."
The Aggie men will have a crew of 16 competing, led by Austin Wells and Cameron Villarreal. The group also includes Jake Bootz, Julian Castellano, Taylor Clayton, Christian Farris, Elliott Farris, Chandler Heikkila, Zach Martin, Aaron Murray, Jacob Perry, Alex Riba, Colin Stoeber, Ryan Teel, Juan Uribe, and Chase Van Voorhis.
Karis Jochen leads a group of 12 A&M women racing on Friday. The squad also includes Laura Craig, Haley Deakins, Lauren Fontana, Shelby McNeel, Devin Norton, Kelsey Persyn, Katie Pia, Arin Rice, Kelsie Warren, Rachel Williams and Emily Willingham.
"While this is a low key race to open the season it's still important for us to start setting a tone on what kind of team we're going to be in late October and November," said McRaven. "We've worked hard on some things in training and have talked about things in training as they relate to racing in leading up to this meet. The biggest challenge for this group is being able to execute in racing what we talk about and do in training."
The Watts course, which opened in the fall of 2014, is located within the new Hildebrand Equine Complex at 3242 F and B Road. The facility is accessible from F and B Road off the corner intersection with 2818.
NCAA South Central Region
Preseason rankings:
Men
1. Arkansas
2. Texas
3. North Texas
4. Lamar
5. Stephen F. Austin
6. UT Arlington
7. Texas A&M
8. McNeese State
9. Rice
10. Houston
11. Baylor
12. Central Arkansas
13. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
14. Louisiana-Lafayette
15. Tulane
Women
1. Arkansas
2. Texas
3. SMU
4. Baylor
5. Texas A&M
6. Rice
7. North Texas
8. Lamar
9. Arkansas State
10. Stephen F. Austin
11. UT Arlington
12. LSU
13. McNeese State
14. UTSA
15. Sam Houston State
2015 Texas A&M Cross Country Schedule
September
4 Aggie Opener Watts Course
- versus Lamar, UTSA
26 Texas A&M Invitational Watts Course
- College & High School teams
October
2 Notre Dame Invitational South Bend, Ind.
9 Houston Baptist Invitational Houston
16 Crimson Classic Tuscaloosa, Ala.
30 SEC CHAMPIONSHIPS Watts Course
November
13 NCAA South Central Region Watts Course
21 NCAA Championships Louisville, Ky.