Wake Forest Athletics
Wake Forest to Compete at Virginia Invitational on Friday
9/25/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Cross Country
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By Scott Wortman, Wake Forest Athletic Communications (@WakeTrack)
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The Wake Forest men's and women's cross country teams will get a preview of the ACC Championships course when the Demon Deacons compete at the Virginia/Panorama Farms Invitational on Friday in Earlysville, Va.
The University of Virginia is set to host the conference meet at the site on Oct. 31. Earlysville was also the site of the 2013 NCAA Southeast Regionals, where Wake Forest competed at the end of last season.
This year's meet will include Auburn, Arizona, Bucknell, Clemson, Duke (Men), Furman, High Point, Iona (Men), Liberty, Virginia and William & Mary in addition to the Demon Deacons. The meet, which features a 6k women's race and an 8k men's race, is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m.
"We are excited to be competing at the UVa Invitational this weekend," said Wake Forest head coach John Millar. "This will be a real test for both of our teams as the field consists of a number of nationally-ranked squads as well as several teams who are currently ranked ahead of us in our region. This is a great opportunity for us to see where we are in terms of training and to get a preview of the ACC course."
The Wake Forest women are perfect on the season after winning the Covered Bridge Open (Aug 29 in Boone, N.C.) and the Furman Classic (Sept. 13 in Greenville, S.C.). The Deacons are currently ranked eighth in the Southeast Region by the USTFCCCA.
Junior Samantha Jones and freshman Cate Allen have led the charge for the Deacons. Jones took home the individual title at both meets, while Allen finished third in Boone and second to Jones in Greenville.
"I'm anxious to see how Sam Jones and Cate Allen perform as this will be a true test for them over the 6k distance," said Millar. "We will also be looking to determine who our top 5-6 individuals will be. I believe the ladies have shown great progress so far this year, and I expect this to continue at Virginia."
The Wake Forest men have had a solid start to the fall as well, winning the Covered Bridge and taking third at Furman. Junior Kent Garrett paced the Deacons in both meets, winning in Boone and finishing 14th in Greenville. The Deacons are currently ranked 13th in the Southeast Region by the USTFCCCA.
"I am challenging the men to make a commitment to get engaged early in the race," said Millar. "I will be eager to see how they respond and if they can work together as a group throughout the race. I believe we have a solid top five, but I will be looking to see if anyone else can step up into this group. This meet will certainly give us a clear picture of where we stand and what needs to be done over the next month as we prepare for the ACC meet."
Following the Virginia Invitational, the Deacons will compete at the Upstate Invitational on Oct. 4 in Spartanburg, S.C.
Players Mentioned
