MORGANTOWN, W.Va.– West Virginia University Director of Athletics
Shane Lyons unveiled the 2020 cross country schedule on Thursday.
The Mountaineers are set to travel to one regular-season meet before beginning postseason action. This season's schedule was cut short due to COVID-19, but is highlighted by a visit to Louisville, Kentucky.
"At this point, we are just excited to have the opportunity to race," WVU coach
Sean Cleary said. "While the season is watered down, we are very grateful to the administration for working so hard to get the kids an opportunity to get on the line and race a couple times. We are not taking this for granted and preparing to the best of our abilities."
WVU opens the 2020 season on Saturday, Oct. 3, at the Lou Cross Country Classic in Louisville, Kentucky, at E.P. "Tom" Sawyer State Park. This was the site of the 2012, 2015 and 2017 NCAA Division I National Championships; 2010 and 2014 NCAA DII National Championships; 2016 and 2019 NCAA DIII National Championships; five NAIA National Championships; two Big East Conference Championships and six NCAA DI Southeast Regional Championships. The course also is expected to host 2021 NCAA DIII National Championships.
From there, the next scheduled meet will be the 2020 Big 12 Cross Country Championship on Friday, Oct. 30, in Lawrence, Kansas, at Rim Rock Farm.
The Mountaineers finished third at the conference meet last season and fifth at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional. The Mountaineers' third-place finish at the Big 12 Championship and fifth-place finish at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional were the team's highest finishes at the respective meets since 2016.
Candace Archer,
Olivia Hill,
Hayley Jackson and
Ceili McCabe finished inside the top-15 at the conference meet to earn All-Big 12 honors. WVU's four All-Big 12 honorees were its most in a single Big 12 Championship in program history. The Mountaineers were named an All-Academic Team by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, while
Candace Archer and
Ceili McCabe earned All-Academic Athlete distinction, the first Mountaineers to earn the individual honor since 2017. Thirteen members of the squad were named to the Academic All-Big 12 First Team, five of whom made the team with 4.0 grade-point averages (GPA), the most in the conference.
For more information on the Mountaineers, visit WVUsports.com and follow WVUXCTF on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
