FARMVILLE, Va. – Longwood University will open its 2012 men's and women's cross country campaigns on Saturday, September 1.  The Lancers will run in the VMI Invitational at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington beginning at 10 a.m.  Sixth-year head coach Catherine Hanson returns seven lettermen while adding four newcomers, including three freshmen, to the men's program.  Coach Hanson also returns seven letterwinners and has added one newcomer to the women's program.  Longwood is competing as a member of the Big South Conference this season, and the Big South Championships will be run October 27 in Rock Hill, South Carolina while hosted by Winthrop University.

“VMI looks to be an early season, low key race against two great cross country programs, including the Keydets and James Madison,” said Hanson.  “This course is a fast 5K course for both squads.  The 5K 'speed' will benefit the teams in the training scheme and will also let us get a look at what the freshmen can do in a collegiate-based training program for a 5K.

“Those that ran the summer mileage and put in the work will do well.  I'm looking forward to seeing how they race and what we will need to do from this point on as we work our way toward our first conference championship.”

Longwood will race with the following men at VMI: senior Sean Flynn|Goodview (Roanoke Catholic), junior Kyle Moller|Gainesville (Battlefield), sophomores Ryan Canoy|Williamsburg (Bruton), Nick Reed|Fairfax (Robinson), Russell Reed|Onemo (Mathews) and Trey Thomas|Stafford (Mountain View), along with freshmen Adam Link|Williamsburg (Walsingham Academy), Adam Lynch|Stafford (North Stafford) and Seth Taylor|Chesapeake (Grassfield).  Nick Reed posted the fastest 5K time last year at 16:18, also the second-fastest 5K time in the program's history.  Thomas posted the fastest 10K time a year ago at 35:00, also the eighth-fastest 10K for the program.

Longwood will run the following women: seniors Rebecca Denny|Virginia Beach (Kempsville), Alisha Royal|Vinton (William Byrd), Megan Short|Sicklerville, N.J. (Timber Creek) and Jenna Sprinkle|Buchanan (James River), as well as sophomores Elisabeth Drake|Hayes (Gloucester) and Brittany Foote|Goshen, N.Y. (Goshen).  Royal, who is serving as the women's team captain this year, enjoyed her finest season of running at Longwood last fall, establishing new school records for both the 5K (18:22) and 6K (22:21) while leading the team in each of the six races she ran -- capping the fall with her impressive ECAC All-East honor earned at the ECAC Championships.  Royal's 18:36 at the ECAC Championships was the fourth-best in school history, and her 18:47 at the Blue Ridge Open ties as the fifth-best in school history.  She owns four of the five fastest 5K times in the 11-year history of the program, posting four sub-19 minute 5K times in four races, including the two fastest 5K times (18:22, 18:23).

Longwood will next participate in the James Madison University Open on September 15 in Harrisonburg at 10 a.m.