UVA releases 2018 men’s cross country schedule

The UVA men’s cross country team will race in four regular season meets in 2018, hosting two competitions at Panorama Farms, in addition to ending the year with the ACC Championships, NCAA Southeast Regional Championships and NCAA Championships.

“Each year our goal is to advance to the NCAA Championships,” director of track and field Bryan Fetzer said. “Creating a schedule that provides us with the best possible opportunities to accomplish that goal is a premium. This year brings exciting opportunities and new venues. It is going to be a great year for the Wahoos.”

The Cavaliers open the 2018 season with two home meets in September- the UVA Duals against James Madison and Norfolk State on Sept. 1 and the annual Virginia/Panorama Farms Invitational at on Sept. 14. Both meets will be held at Panorama Farms.

Virginia closes the month of September with the Coast-to-Coast Battle in Beantown on Sept. 21. The meet will be held at Franklin Park in Boston, providing the team a chance to preview the same location as the ACC Cross Country Championships.

“Boston provides an opportunity to see the ACC course while competing against some of the nation’s top teams,” Fetzer said. “It also gives us the chance to compete in one of our main recruiting areas, New England.”

The Cavaliers conclude the regular season at the Penn State National Open on Penn State’s Blue-White Course on Oct. 12.

“John Gondak and his staff at Penn State create a great competition. We traveled to Happy Valley a few years ago and wanted to get back. It is a smaller meet but has the out-of-region competition needed to score points for NCAA advancement. In addition, Pennsylvania is a great state to recruit from and has produced a number of current and former Wahoos. Any time there is an opportunity to allow our athletes to have a homecoming chance, I will always work to provide it.”

Virginia races at the ACC Championships in Boston at Franklin Park on Oct. 26, before heading to the NCAA Southeast Regional Championships in Rock Hill, S.C., on Nov. 9 at Winthrop Farm.

The NCAA Championships will be held on Nov. 17 at the Thomas Zimmer Championship Course in Madison, Wisc.

“I believe we have put together a schedule that will prepare us to be successful for the championships season,” said head men’s cross country coach Pete Watson. “We love competing at home and the Virginia/Panorama Farms Invitational allows us to compete on the best cross country course in the country. The Coast-to-Coast Battle in Beantown is a preview of the ACC championships at the historic Franklin Field course where we will see great competition. We will return to Penn State to race a field with teams from all over the country on a course we really enjoyed running on two years ago.”

Admission to all home Virginia cross country meets is free.