Spartans Begin Season Friday at Covered Bridge Open
8/28/2014 12:00:00 AM | Cross Country
Spartanburg, S.C. – The USC Upstate cross country team kicks off its 2014 season Friday evening in Boone, N.C. with the Covered Bridge Open hosted by Appalachian State.
The women's race begins the days' events at 5 p.m. followed by the men at 5:30 p.m. The races will be held at the App State Farm Field.
"We are excited to get the season started and really evaluate what type of shape we are in," said associate head coach Carson Blackwelder, who is entering his sixth season at Upstate. "The men will run a four-mile course which will be a change for them and something different to get the season started."
The Spartans will be one of 11 teams competing in Friday's meet. Joining Upstate are Appalachian State, Charlotte, East Carolina, East Tennessee State, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Temple, VMI, Wake Forest and Winthrop. The Spartans opened last season at the Covered Bridge Open as the women finished in 4th place and the men placed 5th overall.
On the men's side, Upstate brings back seven runners from last season's squad but must replace seven including two-time Second Team All-Conference performer Ross Oden. One of the top returning runners for the Spartans will be sophomore Theodore Kountourogiannis as he posted one top-10 performance last season and had the second-best finish for Upstate at the A-Sun Championships. Joining Kountourogiannis are seniors Joey Daversa, Riley Doherty and Cody Ellison, and sophomores Bryson Dawkins, Ethan Dopp and Alex Love. There are six newcomers on the men's side in juniors Griffin Eubanks and Calin Schumacher, and freshmen Dan Castello, Jacob Collins, Martin Morrow and Logan Ray. Sophomore Josh Lee joins the team this season after spending last year on the track & field squad.
The Upstate women also return seven runners from last season led by a Second Team All-Conference performer in senior Jasmine Polite. Polite had two finishes of 12th or better in 2013 highlighted by a 5th place showing at the Eye Opener Invitational. Among the other returners are senior Erin Gethin, juniors Molly Bliss, Rebecca Elliott, Anastasia Kolesnitchenko and Ashleigh Torres, and sophomore Essence Jackson. The Spartans lose six off of last year's team, but replace them with three newcomers in sophomore Kristen Bonner, and freshmen Storm-Alexis Gandy and Kelsey Warren.
Upstate returns to the course Friday, Sept. 5 when it hosts the Eye Opener Invitational from Milliken Research Park beginning at 6:30 p.m.
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