CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Eastern Kentucky cross country teams travel to Virginia for the second consecutive year to compete in the XC 23 Invitational at Panorama Farms. The men will run the 8K race at 10:00 am while the women will compete in the 5K race at 11:00 am.
 
"This meet will be another good opportunity to race against tough competition as we work toward the championship portion of our season," said head coach Cory Erdmann.
 
Graduate student Jone Zabaleta Larranaga led the women at the Live in Lou Classic running a 5K time of 16:56.20 finishing in eighth place. She finished in fourth place at the XC 23 Invitational last season clocking a 5K time of 17:27.80.
 
Graduate students Zabaleta Larranaga, Saskia Pingpank, Alicia Recio, seniors Katy Chapman, Grace Kilroy, Anouk van Gils, and freshmen Irene Rubio Miralles and Tilda Knauer will lace up for the women. Knauer will compete in her first collegiate race.
 
Sophomore Nicodemus Rotich led the men at the Live in Lou Classic posting an 8K time of 24:04.10 finishing in 25^th place. Graduate student Joan Tapias finished in third place at the XC 23 Invitational last season running an 8K time of 24:11.90.
 
Ten Colonel men will compete including Tapias, seniors Hakim Abouzouhir, Nikodem Dworczak, Pedro Garcia-Palencia, Enock Kipchumba, Jackson Siddall, Keeton Thornsberry, junior Alex Leshan, Rotich, and sophomore Griffin Staude.
 
The Colonels will square off against teams such as Ole Miss, Texas, Virginia, and Wake Forest.