UT Cross Country Opens 2016 Season at Tennessee Dual
September 02, 2016 | Track & Field
Tennessee Cross Country Course at Cherokee Farm | Course History | 2016 Schedule
KNOXVILLE, Tenn.--On Sept. 3, the Tennessee cross country team will kick off the 2016 season against UT Martin at the Tennessee Dual race. The women's 3-mile race will begin at 9:00 a.m. ET at the Tennessee Cross Country Course at Cherokee Farm, followed by the men's 4-mile at 9:45 a.m.
"We're excited to be hosting the first meet at Cherokee Farms," UT Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Coach Beth Alford-Sullivan said. "We're starting with just a small, dual meet with Martin, and we are looking forward to testing the facility and testing our young squad in the first race of the season."
This marks the first time in five years the Big Orange has hosted a meet, and the first time the Volunteers will compete on their new course. The cross country course has served as a practice facility for the past two years.
The women's team returns a young squad featuring sophomores and twins Jessica and Julia Rizor. Jessica Rizor earned eighth place overall at the 2015 Hokie Invite, marking the top finish by a Vol at the meet. She earned third for the Vols at the SEC Championships (21:50.90). Her sister, Julia Rizor, ran the Louisville Classic in 18:26.38, placing 23rd overall. She posted a 6k time of 22:04.40 at Pre Nationals.
On the men's team, sophomore Zach Long ran his best 8k at Pre Nationals finishing the race with a time 24:49.40. He ran a season best time of 32:54.45 at the NCAA South Regional 10k race. Long was named SEC Freshman of the Week after the Pre-Nationals race and the Louisville Classic in back-to-back competitions last season.
The Volunteers welcome newcomer Megan Murray to the 2016 women's squad. The Knoxville native won the 2015 TSSAA 3A cross country state championship with a 5K mark of 18:49.
UT and UT Martin faced off last season at the Louisville Classic and the 2015 NCAA South Regional. Former UT cross country champion Chelsea Blaase won the Louisville Classic. She finished in 17:04.50 to defeat 283 other runners. Jessica Rizor finished seventh with a time of 18:03.87 as UT finished fourth. UT Martin's Ann Aspian took third in the race with a time of 17:45.81.
At the 2015 NCAA South Regional, Blaase took home first place of 208 runners (20:02.29). Aspian took ninth for the Skyhawks, finishing the women's 6k in 20:33.25.
The two men's teams last met at the 2011 NCAA South Regional. At the meet, former Tennessee runner Chris Bodary lead the Vols, placing 12th of 159 runners. He finished the 10k with a time of 31:30.20. The men's team took 12th out of 24 teams, while Tennessee-Martin placed 23rd.
The 2016 SEC Preseason Poll ranked the UT men's cross country team in 11th of 13 teams, leaving LSU and Vanderbilt behind. The women were ranked 12th out of 14, followed by South Carolina and LSU. The men were also ranked ninth in the south region by the USTFCCCA in their preseason poll.
Volunteer fans can follow the cross country team on Twitter and Instagram @Vol_Track.
