ROCK HILL, S.C. - This Saturday the Winthrop Eagles men's and women's cross country teams head down south to Columbia, S.C. to open the season at the Gamecock Invitational.
WHO: Winthrop Cross Country at Gamecock Invitational
WHERE: Columbia, S.C. (Sandhill Research and Education Center, 900 Clemson Rd)
WHEN: Collegiate division races begin at 9 a.m.
LIVE STATS: Live results from TimingInc.com
TICKETS: Free Admission
"I'm looking forward to seeing how their summer training took shape and how well they are adjusting to school and the fall training," said head coach
Ben Paxton. "Running hard on your own is a lot different than lining up against competition."
WHO TO WATCH
This smaller meet is a great opportunity for the Eagles to concentrate on their training and see how they measure up with an SEC school. The men's program won the Gamecock Invitational last fall and the women finished second. Top runner
Olivia Paxton is studying abroad this fall, but the women still have a strong veteran group. Seniors
Emily Sparrow and
Victoria Burdette join sophomore
Harper Henson as three Winthrop runners to watch. Henson was All-Big South in the indoor mile last season and was the number two finisher for a majority of the 2016 cross country season.
The men return their top four finishers from last year, including
Kevin Mills, a junior who is a two-time Big South steeplechase champ and 2017 NCAA qualifier. Mills finished first for the Eagles at every cross country meet the past two years. The Eagles hope this leadership and experience on both teams will catapult them this season.
