ETSU’s cross country teams take the first steps into their 2017 schedule on Friday, September 1^st, at the Covered Bridge Open, on the Don Kennedy Trails in Boone, N.C.

The women’s 5K race begins at 5:00 pm. The men’s 8K starts at 5:45.

“The Covered Bridge Open has become a very good first meet for each year,” said ETSU head coach George Watts. “The course is fair, but demanding, and the competition is perfect for an early season meet.”

The ETSU women have finished as high as 5^th at the Covered Bridge Open three times (2012, 2014, 2016). The men’s team’s best showing was 3^rd, in 2014. The Buc men were 4^th last year.

“We’ll likely hold out a few people due to fitness or minor aches and pains, but the bulk of the teams will compete,” Watts said. “There will be the normal first-meet jitters, especially with the freshmen.  The key is to run a patient race and not overextend ourselves early on.” 

ETSU’s all-time top individual performances at the event were 12^th-place runs by Katie Hirko (women, 2014) and Simeon Roberts (men, 2016).

ETSU is picked to finish 3^rd in the Southern Conference this season, according to the league’s annual coaches’ poll.

The Bucs’ season continues Friday, September 15^th, at the Virginia Tech Alumni Invitational in Blacksburg, Va.

For more information on Buccaneer Cross Country, visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the cross country pages. Follow ETSU cross country on Twitter @ETSU_TF_XC