ELON, N.C. – The Elon University men's and women's cross country teams are set to compete at the 2023 CAA Cross Country Championships this Friday, Oct. 27, at Pole Green Park in Mechanicsville, Va. William & Mary will serve as the host for the championship meet.
 
The women's 6K race begins at 10 a.m., with the men's 8K event following at 11 a.m.
 
LIVE COVERAGE
• Live results will be provided and can be found on the Elon cross country schedule page at elonphoenix.com.
 
MEET INFORMATION
Date: Friday, October 27
Location: Pole Green Park, Mechanicsville, Va.
Time: Women's 6k - 10 a.m.; Men's 8K – 11 a.m.
Elon Women Competing: Jette Beermann, Julia Bell, Abby Bellville, Katie Blount, Katie Buerger, Leandra Lorenz, Hannah Miller, Sarah Petitjean, Hattie Reynolds, Quinn Smith, Maggie Springer, Madison Synowiec, Anna Twomey and Jasmine Young.
Elon Men Competing: Braden Anthes, Bryan Hampson, Spencer Hampton, Logan Harding, Zane Jackson, Daniel King, Michael Konenig, Joe Lavelle, George Linney, Nate Mars, Colby Robbins, Caden Strickland and Evan Taylor.
 
LAST TIME OUT
• Elon had split squads at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational and the NCAA Pre-Nationals on Oct. 13-14.
• At the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational, the Phoenix women scored 686 points in the 6K race and was 29th overall. Several members of the maroon and gold set new personal bests in the race.
• Jette Beermann was the top finisher for the Phoenix in the 6K run as the junior posted a new personal-record of 21:04.4. Sophomore Katie Blount was the second runner to cross the line for Elon with her new personal-best time of 21:06.1. Both times move both runners into the program's top-10 performance list.
• Against a strong field at the NCAA Pre-Nationals, the Elon men scored 291 points to finish 11^th in the Orange 8K race and the Phoenix women posted 275 points to place 14^th in the Orange 6K event.
• Sophomore Evan Taylor paced the Phoenix in 54^th place with a time of 25:25.3. Daniel King came home shortly after Taylor, as the junior clocked a 25:37.5 to finish 70^th at the Pre-Nationals.
• Freshman Kate Buerger was the maroon and gold's top finisher, as she placed 48th with a 21:58.0, Elon's only time under 22 minutes at the Pre-Nationals.
 
WOMEN'S RACE PREVIEW
• Elon goes into the CAA Championships looking to defend its title for a historic fifth time on the women's side. The Phoenix captured its fourth straight league title last fall after scoring 30 points at the meet. The last time a women's team won five straight titles at the CAAs was William & Mary from 2012-2018.
• The Phoenix returns all five of its All-CAA performers from last year for this year's meet in Madison Synowiec, Leandra Lorenz, Jette Beermann, Anna Twomey and Katie Blount. Synowiec, Lorenz and Twomey all finished in the top-five of the race for the Phoenix.
• Another veteran, fifth-year Maggie Springer, has also garnered All-CAA accolades in the past.
• The Phoenix has won four straight CAA titles by at least 20 points, had four of the past five individual champions and produced 19 All-CAA performances during a dominant run.
• Beermann has the best 6K time (21:04.4) for the Phoenix this season while several newcomers will look to also make their mark for the maroon and gold on Friday.
 
MEN'S RACE PREVIEW
• On the men's side, the Phoenix is coming off a sixth-place finish at last year's championships after scoring 126 points.
• Zane Jackson is the Phoenix lone returning All-CAA runner from last year's championships. The Charleston, S.C., native had a time of 25:08.50 and was 10th overall to earn All-CAA honors for the first time in his career.
• Mars, King and Robbins are the other returners who finished in the top-five for the Phoenix at last year's championships. Mars posted a time of 26:22.50 in 40^th while Robbins was 42nd overall at the meet with a time of 26:31.80.
 
UP NEXT
• The NCAA Southeast Regionals is next on deck for the Phoenix cross country programs on Friday, Nov. 10. That meet will take place in Spartanburg, S.C.