VMI cross country returns to action Friday, as the Keydets travel to Boone, N.C. to take part in the Blue Ridge Open. The opening gun for the women's 5K goes off at 3 p.m., while the men's 8K will follow at 3:45 p.m.
Last Time Out
VMI last took to the course Sept. 28, as the Keydets competed at the Charlotte Invitational. The top three women's runners - Dalton Kuhar, Hannah Dickinson and Molly Western - all posted personal bests, while Avery Martin led four VMI men in the top 20 as that squad finished fourth overall.
Second Time Around
This is VMI's second visit to Applachian State's course in Boone, N.C., following up on a trip for the team's season opener August 30. Cabell Willis and Patrick Spahn both finished in the top 13 in that race, while Dalton Kuhar led the way for the VMI women in her first cross country race in some two years.
Familar With Boone
Although the name of the meet has differed, this will be the fifth time in the last six seasons that the final VMI pre-conference meet has been in Boone. The only exception to that rule was 2011, when the Keydets competed in Charlotte at the Queens University Invite.
Pre-Conference a Good Time
VMI's men's team has enjoyed quality races in its final event before conference each of the last two years. Last season, that event was on this same course in Boone, as Andrey Dmitriev finished in the top-10 and the Keydets finished fifth as a team. Dmitriev would go on to all-conference honors and VMI's first top-50 finish at Regionals since 2008. In 2011 at the Queens Invite, Felix Kitur ran one of the fastest VMI 8K's in recent memory en route to an all-Big South effort the following race at the conference championships.
The women's team has seen good harbingers at this race as well, including last season, when Jenna Moye posted her second straight personal best en route to a fourth-place finish. She went on to repeat that finish the following week at the conference meet.
Next Time Out
VMI cross country returns to action for the Big South Championship, which the program will host Nov. 2 at the Vista Links Golf Course in Buena Vista. Action gets underway with the men's 8K at 10:30 a.m.
