NEWARK, Del. – The Towson University cross country team opens the 2022 season at the University of Delaware for the Delaware Opener 5K. The meet will take place on Saturday, Sept. 3 at the White Clay Creek State Park in Newark, Delaware.
Race Information:
Course: White Clay Creek State Park
Race Distance: Women's 5000 meters (5k)
Race Time: 9:00 a.m.
Newcomers:
The team will be welcoming four incoming freshmen;
Morgan Loewe, Lauren Mcneil,
Sophia Skinner and
Jenna Zentz. Loewe, Skinner and Zentz will be making their debut as Tigers this weekend.
Graduate transfer
Beighley Ayers will be joining the Black & Gold as well. Ayers comes to Towson from Eastern Kentucky University, where she earned second team All-OVC honors after finishing 13
th at the 2021 OVC Cross Country Championships.
New Coaches:
The Tigers have recently added two new additions to the coaching staff. Consandria Walker-Hall was named the new head coach of the women's cross country and track & field team in July following a full nationwide search. Walker-Hall comes to Towson with an extensive coaching career which includes positions at University of Toledo, Northeastern and University of Massachusetts Boston. In total she has coached 42 NCAA All-American honorees, 10 Little East Conference Field Athlete of the Year selections and six Little East Conference Athlete of the Year picks.
Walker on the upcoming season: "With any transition there are challenges, but our women have already started out the year with so much positivity and confidence. So I am excited to see firsthand, as they toe the line this weekend at Delaware and how they will progress over the remainder of the season."
Evan Freeman was hired as the new assistant cross country/distance coach in August. Freeman has a talented background as well with positions at Mississippi College and Baldwin Wallace University. At Mississippi, he helped the women's cross country program qualify for their first ever NCAA DII National Championships as well as highest finishes for both men and women at the conference level in school history.
Freeman on the upcoming season: "We've had a great first two weeks of practice, our women have made big strides since being on campus. We are excited to test our fitness and begin to figure out our race identity as a team this weekend."
Last Season Highlights:
The Black & Gold started off the 2021-22 season strong, winning the season opener at home. The Tigers won the Towson Invitational by 30 points, averaging a time of 15:25 in the 4k.
At the Maribel Sanchez Southern Invitational the team clutched a third place finish, earning a total of 79 points. The team ran an average time of 23:52 in the 5K, with returners
Alison Betler,
Aubrey Schaffer and
Alexis Mogensen finishing top-40.
Back at home the Black & Gold grabbed their second first place finish of the season, earning 34 points to win the Towson Alumni Invitational. The team lowered their 5k average, clocking a 20:04.28.
To finish off the season the Tigers placed seventh at the CAA Championships. They earned a total of 184 points, finishing ahead of Hofstra and UNCW.
Up Next:
Following the Delaware Opener the team will head down the road to compete in the Navy Invitational in Annapolis on Sept. 16. The Tigers will then participate in the Paul Short Run hosted by Lehigh on Sept. 30, before heading back to Delaware to attend the Delaware Invite on Oct. 15. CAA Championships will also be held at Delaware on Oct. 28.
