XC Preview: Tennessee Cross Country Invitational

Friday, September 1

Knoxville, Tenn.

Women - 8 AM | Men - 8:30 AM

University of Tennessee

Tennessee Cross Country Invitational

August 31, 2023 | Cross Country

Meet Information Parking Map Live Results

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee's 2023 cross country season begins Friday at 8 a.m. ET as the No. 16 Vols and Lady Vols play host to Chattanooga, Lee University and Tennessee Tech in the Tennessee Cross Country Invitational at Cherokee Farms Cross Country Course.

It is UT's only home meet of the season as it kicks off year No. 2 under head coach Sean Carlson.

MEET INFO
The meet is free and open to the public. For fans attending, spectator parking will be in any on-street parking available on the UT Research Campus.

A parking map is available at this LINK, while live results can be found HERE. For more information, please click HERE.

RACE LINEUPS
Women's Three-Mile – 8 a.m. ET
The Lady Vols open the meet with a three-mile race, beginning at 8 a.m. ET. Eight women are scheduled to make their Tennessee debut – Chesney Peterson, Lia Pugsley, Julia Ray, Jordan Rayl, Lauren Rutlin, Summer Schuster, Jessie Secor and Jaci Sievers.

They will be joined by 2022 SEC scorers Msgana Araya, Andie-Marie Jones and Callie Tucker on the course.

Men's Four-Mile – 8:30 a.m.
The men close out the first race of the season with a four-mile run around Cherokee Farms. Brett Brady, Brody Chapman and Christopher Cherry are slated to make their Tennessee debuts on Friday. The newcomers will race alongside Canaan Anderson, Connor Henson, Eli Nahom and Yordanos Zelinski.

PRESEASON RANKINGS
The Southeastern Conference released the 2023 SEC Cross Country Preseason Coaches' Poll on Tuesday – with the Vols being picked to win the league. Tennessee garnered 20 points and five first-place votes.

Tennessee also checked in at No. 1 in the South Region – which it won in 2022 – and is ranked 16th in the nation in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association preseason poll.

The Lady Vols enter the 2023 campaign picked to finish fifth in the SEC and ranked No. 6 in the South Region.

UP NEXT
Tennessee heads east to South Carolina for an SEC Championships preview with the Vols and Lady Vols racing in the Gamecock Challenge on Friday, Sept. 15. South Carolina is set to host the conference meet on October 27 in Columbia, South Carolina.