WASHINGTON – The Georgetown University cross country teams are set to close out their regular season as they return to State College, Pennsylvania for the Penn State National Open, hosted by Penn State University. The women's 6K race begins at 10:45 a.m. while the men start at 11:30 a.m. The Blue & White Golf Course will serve as a preview to the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional Championships, held later in the season in November.
 
The No. 29-ranked men's team is coming off an 18th-place finish at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational in Madison, Wisconsin two weeks ago and will look to build momentum heading into the BIG EAST Championships later this month. The Hoyas will feature 14 runners in the Men's 5.2 Mile Race, including top finisher from Nuttycombe, Jack Van Scoter (Pasadena, Calif. / Flintridge Prep) and All-American Nick Wareham (Woodbury, Minn. / Woodbury). Also competing for points are Ty Brownlow (Liverpool, N.Y. / Liverpool), Matthew Bouthillette (North Providence, R.I. / La Salle Academy), Rusty Kujdych (Feasterville Trevose, Pa. / Neshaminy), Joshua Bell (Nashville, Tenn. / Brentwood Academy), Johnathan Chavez (Knoxville, Tenn. / Knoxville Catholic), Eion Nohilly (Eugene, Ore. / South Eugene), Jack Salisbury (Rumford, R.I. / La Salle Academy), and Dylan Scarsone (Anaheim, Calif. / Canyon). Making their season debuts are veteran runners Adam Barnard (Gray, Tenn. / Daniel Boone) and Reilly Bloomer (Eugene, Ore. / South Eugene), as well as newcomers Quinn Nicholson (Painted Post, N.Y. / Corning) and Price Owens (Yorktown, Va. / Grafton).

"We are excited to head back to Penn State to, yet again, get a feel for the course where the NCAA Regional meet will take place," said Head Men's Cross Country Coach Brandon Bonsey. "Practice has gone very well since Wisconsin and I feel our team is well prepared for this meet. We've got a few guys who are sick who won't be competing, but we are lining up a team that should be able to compete with the front of this race."
 
The women's squad is coming off a 25th-place finish at Nuttycombe and will look to rebound with the postseason on the horizon. The Women's 6K Race will feature Paige Hofstad (New Braunfels, Texas / New Braunfels), who is coming off a 32nd-place overall finish at Wisconsin, Katie Dammer (Clarks Summit, Pa. / Abington Heights), Margie Cullen (Needham, Mass. / Needham) and Alyssa Aldridge (Linwood, N.J. / Mainland Regional). Also looking to score points for the Hoyas will be Katherine Modrall (Carmel, Ind. / Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory), Meg Mathison (Middleton, Wis. / Waunakee / Carleton College) and Kayla Grahn (La Canada Flintridge, Calif. / Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy). Maegan Doody (Lee, N.H. / Oyster) will be making her season debut for the Blue & Gray.

"We've put a lot of quality work in the last few weeks and are looking forward to building upon each performance this season," said Director of Track & Field / Cross Country Julie Culley. "The course will be a bit sloppy at Penn State with the recent rains, so times won't be as relevant as how we compete as a team.  We are looking forward to having a really solid outing as a group and getting ready for the postseason."
 
Following the National Open, Georgetown will travel to Indianapolis for the BIG EAST Championships, hosted by Butler University on Oct. 27.