COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The Maryland cross country team begins its 2015 slate on Friday at the Mount St. Mary's Duals. The women's race will begin directly following the men's race at 1 p.m.
Junior Sydney Almeida is one of the Terps' top returners after recording some of Maryland's top finishes last season. She finished 23rd in this event last season.
Junior Alexa Squirini will also return to the Mount St. Mary's course after an 18th-place finish in the race last season. Sophomores Charde Barnes and Karah O'Halloran also scored for the Terps in Emmetsburg last year.
“This meet will give an opportunity to some of our new athletes and those returning to tune up for the season ahead,” head coach Andrew Valmon said. “We're excited about the opportunities we are going to have this season.”
The Duals will begin the Terps' preparation for the end of season Big Ten Championships, which features some of the top teams in the country. Senior Emily VandeWater, who along with Almeida was one of the top runners in Maryland's preseason time trials, sees year two as an opportunity for further growth.
“Our experience last year raised our expectations of what to expect during competition,” VandeWater said. “We learned a lot and now I'm looking forward to seeing what we can do.”
VandeWater and her teammates will bring these lessons to a race that also involves local foes American, George Washington, Loyola, Navy, Towson and UMBC. The race will be scored in a dual-scoring format with each score receiving a dual-meet score against each of the other opponents.
“In the Big Ten it's go big or go home,” Valmon said. “I think in year two we know what we are getting ourselves into. We have to take the speed we had on the track into cross country.”
Results will be available following the race at www.mountathletics.com.
