Bluefield, WV - The Bluefield State University cross country team opens the 2022 season Friday with a trip to Elon University to race in the Elon Opener-Friday Night Lights competition. Thirteen B-State athletes will begin their collegiate careers at the 10-team meet, which features NCAA Division I opponents Duke (ACC), Campbell (Big South), Elon and UNC-Wilmington (CAA), and East Carolina (AAC). Voorhees, Shaw, Meredith, and Pfieffer will round out the field.
"We're excited to open things up and see where we stand," said second-year B-State Head Coach Brooks Rexroat. "The team has been training hard around the hills of Bluefield, and we're excited to get onto a flat course and see how we look. We feel like we've got some school records in jeopardy today, and as the program continues to grow, that's the mindset we'll take into each contest this year."
The 4-kilometer women's race begins at 8:15 p.m. on Elon's campus, with the 6-kilometer men's race following at 8:45.
"The race distances and course shape are as close to a sprint race as we'll get in cross country, so this will be a unique contest for us and a chance to test the hard work our athletes have put in since arriving on campus," Rexroat said.
B-State's season-opening lineup in the women's race features sophomore Abbey Puckett (Batavia, OH/Clermont Northeastern) alongside freshmen, Emma Flynn (Milton, WV/Cabell Midland), Kayla Havens (Orange Park, FL/Oak Leaf), Khrisalyn Kegler (Houston, TX/Alief Hastings), Nikki Walker (Winfield, WV/Winfield), Arianna Wickliff (Clarksville, TN/West Creek), and Kellie Williams (King George, VA/King George). Competing in the men's race will be freshmen Tyler Davis (Winfield, WV/Winfield), Christon Hardemon (Houston, TX/Alief Hastings), Jalen Jones (Orange Park, FL/Oak Leaf), Kevin Macias (McAllen, TX/Edinburg Idea Quest), Javon McBride (Charlotte, NC/West Mecklenberg), Austin Sigman (Winder, GA/Appalachee), and Ben Walker (Princeton, WV/Princeton Senior).
Live race results are available at https://runsignup.com/race/results/?raceId=65924#resultSetId-335720;perpage:100.
The Big Blue will next compete Friday, Sept. 9 at the Roanoke Invitational in Salem, VA.
