Season Primer: Cross Country Opens Up Season at Blazer Classic

Florida Atlantic at Blazer Classic
Race Details	Date: Friday, Oct. 16 Time: Women's 6K at 9:50 a.m. (ET) \| Men's 8K at 11:25 a.m. (ET) Location: Hoover Ala. \| Veterans Park (4800 Valleydale Rd.)
Race Coverage	Live Results Twitter: @FAUXCTF Instagram: @FAUXCTF Facebook: FAU XC/Track & FIeld
Florida Atlantic Links	News \| Men's Roster \| Women's Roster \| Schedule

BOCA RATON, Fla. – The Florida Atlantic University men's and women's cross country teams are set to hit the course for the first time this season on Friday morning at the Blazer Classic. The race, hosted by UAB, will be held at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, which also will serve as the host site for the 2020 Conference USA Cross Country Championships scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 31.

The women's team will be running the 6K in the gold division at 8:50 a.m. and the men will follow with the 8K in the open division at 10:25 a.m. Although the season is commencing much later than usual, head cross country coach Alex Smolka and the teams are ready to tackle the first race.

Season Preview

Coach Smolka's Take

"It feels great," said Smolka. "It has been a long time coming. We have had a lot of what ifs and maybe yes and maybe no… now to be finally at the point where we are about to hear the starting gun and start racing feels great."

About the Owls

Women

The women's team brings back six returners, who had raced at last year's C-USA Championships
FAU is coming off an eighth-place finish at the 2020 C-USA Championships, their best finish since joining the conference in 2013
Madlen Kappeler returns after a stellar freshman season on the course. The Germany product was tabbed to the C-USA All-Conference Third Team after a 16th place finish in the 5K (17:50.9) at the championships. She became the first Owl to make the All-Conference Team since 2013 and sits at No. 3 in the 5K (17:50.9) and 6K (21:35.45) in the program's top 10
The team has brought on several new faces, with seven first-year Owls

Men

The men's team brings back six out of eight runners from last year's squad that finished 10th at the championships
Preston Dunn is coming off his freshman season, having captured all-time program showings in the 8K with the sixth fastest time (25:27.24) and the 10th best in the 10K (34:48.00)
The Owls boast a veteran squad with three seniors, while also welcoming one newcomer

Teams Present

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Upcoming

The Owls will compete at the 2020 C-USA Championships on Saturday, Oct. 31.

Owls on Social Media

For complete coverage of FAU cross country and track & field, follow us on Twitter (@FAUXCTF), Instagram (@FAUXCTF) and Facebook (FAU XC/Track & Field).

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