May 1, 2009

KENNESAW, Ga. - Head Coach Stan Sims and the Kennesaw State University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics released the 2009 men's and women's cross country schedule on Friday afternoon at the KSU Convocation Center.

The 2009 cross-country schedule has six regular season events, as the Owls will be in search of their first-ever trip to the NCAA postseason. Kennesaw State concluded its four-year re-classification period this season.

Highlighting next year's schedule will be the first-ever cross-country event hosted by Kennesaw State. The Black and Gold will host the 1st Annual Owl Invitational on Friday, Oct. 23 at a site to be determined.

"We would like to host our own event and we feel like this was the right time to do it," said Sims. "It will be an informal event with teams coming from the local area as well as the nearby region."

The regular season begins on Sept. 5 with the Owls traveling to Jacksonville, Ala. to participate in the JSU Strut's Cross Country Opener. The following week KSU is off to Chattanooga, Tenn. for the UTC Invitational.

On Sept. 19, the Black and Gold will head to the University of Alabama for the NCAA Region preview in Tuscaloosa, Ala. The following Saturday, the Owls will be local as they will run at the Mercer Invitational in Macon, Ga. The Owls will then have an open week as they head into October.

Kennesaw State will begin the month with a trip to Walt Disney World on Oct. 10 as they participate in the Disney Cross Country Classic at the Disney World of Sports. After another open week, the Black and Gold will host the KSU Owl Invitational, which ends the regular season.

On Oct. 31, the Atlantic Sun Conference Championships will be in DeLand, Fla. and hosted by Stetson. The KSU women's cross-country team captured the A-Sun title back in 2005, the first year the Owls competed for the conference championship.

The first leg of the NCAA championships will be the South Region Championships on Nov. 14 in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Kennesaw State 2009 Cross-Country Schedule

Date | Event, Location
Sept. 5 | JSU Strut's Cross Country Opener at Jacksonville, Ala.
Sept. 11 | UTC Invitational, at Chattanooga, Tenn.
Sept. 19 | NCAA Region Preview at Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Sept. 26 | Mercer Invitational at Macon, Ga.
Oct. 3 | Open
Oct. 10 | Disney XC Classic at Disney Wide World of Sports at Orlando, Fla.
Oct. 17 | Open
Oct. 23 | KSU Owl Invitational at Kennesaw, Ga.
Oct. 31 | A-Sun CC Championships at Deland, Fla.
Nov. 14 | NCAA South Region XC Championships at Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Schedules are tentative and subject to change