Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG, Va. - The Virginia Tech Athletics Department announced the 2008 schedule for the Hokies men's and women's cross country squads. Tech will compete in at least six meets in 2008, including holding three home meets at the Virginia Tech cross country course.
"Our schedule will give us time to see who our top competitors will be for the championship season," said cross country head cross country coach Ben Thomas. "It will give our athletes more time to progress from their summer training and prove themselves ready for an opportunity to compete at the prestigious Chile Pepper Invite in October, as well as the ACC, Southeast Region and National Championships in November."
The Hokies' 2008 campaign kicks off on Sept. 5, as they play host to the Virginia Tech Cross Country Relay. Tech also hosts the Virginia Tech Alumni Invitational on Sept. 19th and the Hokie Open Race on Nov. 8.
The ACC Cross Country Championships will be held in Chapel Hill, N.C., on Nov. 15 and both Hokie teams will look to improve on their respective fifth-place finishes at last year's conference meet.
Winston-Salem, N.C., is the site of the NCAA Southeast Regional Championships on Nov. 15. In 2007, the women finished fifth out of 31 teams at the regional meet, while the men placed seventh out of 29. Rising junior Devin Cornwall was the first Hokie across the finish line at the 2007 regional meet at 28thplace, and will try to qualify for the national meet this season.
Senior Tasmin Fanning will be looking to make her return trip to the NCAA Championships on Nov. 24 in Terre Haute, Ind. Fanning earned All-America honors at the national meet last year, finishing 12th out of 255 runners. With several returning athletes on both squads, each anticipates qualifying for the national meet as a team in 2008.