COLLEGE PARK, Md.— The Maryland Cross Country team will compete in its first meet Friday, Aug. 30 at the Mount Saint Mary's 5K Duals in Emmitsburg, Md. The team will ease into the season with two 5K competitions and pick up with 6k races in preparation for NCAA championship performances.
"I'm looking forward to seeing what our returning athletes will do this year," said head coach Andrew Valmon. "Everyone is focused on maximizing performances and we will have solid leadership from seniors, Kathryn Gearhart and Brittany Lang. I am looking forward to moving forward with this group in reaching our goals for the conference and regional level."
Runners to Watch
Seniors Kathryn Gearhart (Easton, Md.), Brittany Lang (Columbia, Md.), Paige Novak (Hillsborough, N.J.), Anna Latzko (Clarksville, Md.) and Caroline Augelli (Fairfax, Va.) will lead this season as they enter their fourth year with the Terps. All five of these upperclassmen have found themselves in a scoring position as top five finishers for the team during their career. Gearhart and Lang also set new personal bests in the 5000m on the track at the end of the 2019 spring season which should transition them to some quicker times on the cross country course this fall.
Junior Christine Laurie (Kitchener, Ontario) will look to stay at the front of the pack after an impressive freshman and sophomore season where she maintained a steady position as a scorer in the top five runners for the Terps. Molly Barrick (Owings, Md.), Courtney Mann (Ellicott City, Md.), Emily McAllister (Newark, Md.) and Julia Reicin (Potomac, Md.) will be building on their experience from the past two years and are a group to keep an eye on for some key performances this season.
Jasmine Tiamfook (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and Mackenzie Morgan (Kitchener, Ontario) will enter their sophomore year on the cross country course, adding another layer of depth to the group.
Maryland welcomes six freshmen to the team this year; Anna Coffin (Annapolis, Md.), Claudia Dolan (Owings, Md.), Alexandra Hargrett (Columbia, Md.), Camryn Streib (Columbia, Md.), Samantha Facius (Catonsville, Md.) and Kira Freedman (Yorktown, Va.). Transfer Sarah Daniels (Burke, Va.) will also be a new addition to the squad. These newcomers will be making their Terrapin debut at the Mount Saint Mary's 5K duals Aug. 30.
Coach Valmon is looking forward to the incoming athletes showcasing their talent close to home.
"It is exciting to have so many incoming athletes added to our roster from the DMV area," Valmon said. "That was a goal in building the roster this year to emphasize the top local athletes and making sure they stay visible close to home."
Schedule
The Terps will open their season August 30 at the Mount Saint Mary's 5K Duals in Emmitsburg, Md. for the seventh year in a row. After a two-week break to focus on shedding times, the team will return to the second 5k competition of the season at the University of Virginia on September 14.
The Terps will return to the cross country course on October 5 at the Paul Short Invitational in Bethlehem, Penn., which is also the location of the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional meet. The Terrapins will get a test run on this course before heading there again later in the season on November 15.
The last meet of the regular season will be held at Penn State University on October 18, just two weeks before the Terps take on the B1G Cross Country Championships in Columbus, Ohio, on November 3.
After the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional meet on November 15, the Terps will keep their sights on the NCAA Championships being held on November 23 in Terre Haute, Ind.
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