DELAND, Fla. - "We're excited to get another season underway," expressed Head Coach Bryan Harmon as the Stetson University cross country teams eagerly await the start of their upcoming campaign. A notable difference this year is the alignment of schedules for the men's and women's teams. This synchronization provides an invaluable opportunity to foster a sense of unity within the team. Harmon expressed his satisfaction, stating, "They like to support each other so it's great that we have those opportunities where the meets we are going to fit the needs of each team."

To kick off the season, both the men's and women's teams will travel to Boca Raton for the Florida Atlantic University Invitational on Friday, September 1. The meet will commence with the men's race at 6:00 AM, followed by the women's race 30 minutes later, providing an invigorating start to the year for the Hatters.

"Starting with the mainstay, Florida Atlantic, we've gone to their opening meet a handful of years in the past," said Harmon. "Down in Boca, we know it's going to be hot; we know there's probably going to be some thunderstorms, but we also know there is going to be great competition for our first meet of the year."

Continuing their quest for success, the women's team will head to Gainesville on Friday, September 15 for the University of Florida Invitational. Set to begin at 8:20 AM, this invitational promises to be a challenging test of their abilities against a field of formidable runners.

This course is also the site of the NCAA South Regional, providing the women's team with a valuable opportunity to gain early insights and familiarity with the challenging terrain and competitive atmosphere they may encounter later in the season.

On Friday, September 29, both teams will reunite in Tallahassee for the highly anticipated Florida State Invite. The men's race will start at 7:40 AM, followed by the women's race at 8:10 AM. Notably, a highlight on this year's schedule, as they will have the opportunity of competing on the prestigious course at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee. Embodying a legacy of excellence, this esteemed course emerges as the host for the Florida High School Athletic Association Cross Country State Finals.

"Last year we took the men, the year before we took the women, so we get to take both genders this year," said Harmon. "Getting the chance to run on a championship level course is great, the Florida kids obviously love it because that's where their state meet is in high school, so they get to come back and compete at that course."

"The thing I'm probably most excited about is our last regular season meet of the year at USC-Upstate," continued Harmon. "It's been hard for us to find a good tune-up meet prior to conference."

As the regular season comes to a close, Stetson will depart the Sunshine State and travel to South Carolina to compete in the USC-Upstate Invite at the Milliken Research Center on Saturday, October 14. The women's race will start at 9:00 AM, proceeded by the men's race 45 minutes later. This meet will provide the final opportunity for the Hatters to showcase their skills before the championship events.

There will be a two-week gap between this meet and the start of the postseason. Additionally, the meet holds even more significance as the course will be hosting the southeast regional. Despite it being a different region, this presents a unique chance for the team to face strong competition and gain valuable experience leading up to the postseason.

"Two weeks out is the right time we want to tune up, we feel like the competition is going to be the right kind of competition that we want to tune up with and we don't have to strain ourselves on extensive travel," said Harmon.

Reflecting on their previous encounters at this venue, Coach Harmon fondly recalls the year 2016, when they first ran there under his leadership. It was also at this very course that Joe Beery etched his name into the annals of the Stetson cross country program, setting the all-time school record for fastest 8k time (25:36.92) at the ASUN Championship. His ninth-place finish was also the highest ever by a Hatter in the conference championship and he became the first Stetson male runner to earn all-conference honors.

These remarkable experiences further heighten the team's expectations and fuel their eagerness to create more enduring moments and build upon the legacy that was previously established.

"I think things are really lining up great and hopefully that will be enough to get us through and get us ready for the conference and regional meet," said Harmon.

Following the conclusion of the regular season, the Hatters' cross-country team will journey to Nashville, Tennessee on Saturday, October 28 to compete in the ASUN Championship.

As the pinnacle of the season, the NCAA South Region Championship will take place on Friday, November 10. Commencing at 9:00 AM for both teams, this prestigious event will see the Hatters face off against some of the nation's top programs.

Looking back at the previous season, the Stetson Hatters men's team achieved laudable results, including a valiant 4th place finish out of seven teams for the men's race at the UCF Invitational. They continued their progression with a 12th place finish out of 30 teams at the Florida State Invite before they posted their best performance of the year at the USF Invite, where they secured a remarkable 2nd place finish out of 17 teams.

The women's team also showcased their talent and determination, starting the season with a 4th place finish out of nine teams at the UCF Invitational. Notably, the women's team achieved a memorable 2nd place finish at the North Florida Invite, with outstanding performances from Cheyenne Durda and Madison Niederriter, who finished 4th and 5th respectively.

The team's successes continued with a 9th place finish out of 45 teams at a challenging meet in Lehigh, PA. The women's team then triumphed, winning the USF Invite in a field of 15 teams, while the men's team secured a commendable 2nd place finish. At the Claw at the University of South Florida, six runners finished in the top ten, including Freshman Runner of the Week Luke Danison.

In the championship events, the men's team placed 11th in the ASUN Championship, while the women's team secured an 8th place finish. Despite the men's team not receiving a team score due to fielding an incomplete team, the women's team showed resilience by placing 20th out of 32 teams in the NCAA South Region Championship. Durda and Jakob McConnell set Hatter records, with Durda setting a new program record of 21:42.3 for the 6k distance and McConnell achieving the third-best performance in program history with a time of 31:32.7 in the 10k.

Looking ahead to the upcoming season, the cross country team is filled with excitement and anticipation as they prepare for new challenges and opportunities. Harmon's vision for the women's team is clear, as he expresses confidence in the leadership of Madison Niederriter and Cheyenne Durda, stating, "On the women's side, it's kind of the usual suspects. We expect them to be our leaders not only on the course but with being captains and the way they lead on a day-to-day basis as well." With their experience and guidance, the women's team is poised to continue moving in the right direction, setting an inspiring example for the younger members of the squad.

On the men's side, the graduation of Parker Hines and Jakob McConnell presents an opportunity for new leaders to emerge. Coach Harmon highlights Patrick Pitts, who has already displayed a strong sense of ownership and leadership, stating, "Patrick has really taken ownership, and this summer, same thing. We have an exciting group; we don't have any seniors on the men's side, so it will be a chance for some of our sophomores to come off their freshman years and really make an impact and take that next step." With a roster full of potential contributors and a focus on utilizing their depth, the men's team looks forward to embracing the challenge and making their mark in the upcoming season.

About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program is driven by a shared purpose. It is what inspires, motivates and binds us together. More than a task, a reason for being. THE HATTER PURPOSE is to create and provide an experience of a lifetime through teamwork and relationships to achieve excellence. This purpose is achieved through five Core Values: Communication, Integrity, Excellence, Value People and Commitment. To learn more about the HATS program and our Core Values, visit GoHatters.com/HATS.

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