Dayton, TN - Bryan College Cross Country announced their 2010 schedule today. The calendar will resemble the 2009 competitions, while adding one new destination. The Lions look to improve on their 27th-place finish at the NAIA XC Championship last year in Vancouver, WA, after winning the AAC title two weeks before. The Lady Lions hope to challenge Milligan for the AAC Championship in early November.
The running Lions will return for the Berry Invitational in Mount Berry, GA, on September 11 to start their 2010 season. The men won last Fall at this meet and will look to defend their title. "Berry has a tremendous course and Coach Deaton does a terrific job with organizing the meets," stated Head Coach Rodney Stoker.
Vanderbilt will host the Commodore Classic on September 18 at Vaughn's Gap in Nashville, TN, and will give Bryan a chance to race on the course at which they last competed in 2007.
One of the first big tests of the Fall will be the Greater Louisville Classic on October 2. The Louisville course has hosted multiple NAIA XC Championships as well as NCAA Division I Regional Championships. This season, the course will host the NCAA Division II Championship. "We should be near full strength by this time of year and it will be good to perform better than in 2009 in Louisville," said Stoker.
The Lions will make a return trip to Berry College, as the Vikings host the Southeastern Classic on October 23. This meet brings in multiple NAIA top 25 ranked teams. "We narrowly escaped with a victory last year and it is always a battle with some of the top teams from around the southeast," commented Stoker.
The Lions will move into the championship season on November 6 when they travel to the AAC XC Championship hosted by Montreat College in Montreat, NC. The men are returning champs while the women were runners-up one year ago. "We love what Coach Larios and his group has done with their home course. It is a great cross country layout and we want to be at our best this time of year," remarked Stoker.
The season will conclude with the NAIA XC Championship in Vancouver, WA. The team or individuals can earn a berth in the championship with their performances at the conference championship. The Lions were 27th in 2009 and hope to move closer to the top in 2010. "It was great for our young group to experience Portland and Vancouver last year. The championship was tremendous and we look to build on the success we had this spring to do well out west," finished Stoker.
