The VMI cross country teams are scheduled to open their seasons Friday, Sept. 3 at the Virginia Horse Center. Admission to the unique, relay-style event is free, and VMIKeydets.com will be on hand to cover the meet via Twitter.
The VMI men, led by Ermin Mujezinovic and Felix Kitur, come off an up-and-down year. After winning the Big South Preview meet, on the strength of posting five harriers in the top 12, the Keydets wound up with a fourth-place finish at the Big South Championships just a handful of weeks later. Nearly everyone returns, however, as Andrey Dmitriev, Ian McGinn and Chris Wunsch join Mujezinovic and Kitur to form a team filled with potential. A cast of freshmen, led by Cabell Willis of the Collegiate School, could also help the Keydets make a push in the conference.
The Keydet women enjoyed the best year in program history in 2009, and come into this year looking for even better results. VMI swept the conference awards last season, with Hannah Granger claiming the Big South title, Jenna Moye winning Freshman of the Year honors and Coach Paul Spangler earning the Big South Coach of the Year award. Freshman recruits Tammy Cheung, Hannah Best and Rebecca Sweeney, along with returners Leah Schubel, Lindsey Carty and Corinne Lariviere, join Granger and Moye to comprise the deepest and most talented team VMI has ever had.