WASHINGTON – The Georgetown University cross country teams open the 2018 fall campaign Friday afternoon in State College, Pennsylvania for the Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational, hosted by Penn State University. The women's squad will compete in the Women's College 6k race, while the men will compete in the Men's College 5.2 mile event. The women's race is set to start at 5:30 p.m. ET and the men's race will kick off at 6:15 p.m. ET.
 
"We are excited to get things started with our first meet of the year," Head Men's Cross Country Coach Brandon Bonsey said. "Practice has gone well but you never know quite where you are until you get in a race. We won't be running a full squad here, but we are still lining up a talented group of runners. We are in a heavy training phase right now so they will be running on tired legs. I'm just looking for good, competitive efforts. Eion Nohilly and Ty Brownlow have looked great in practice, so I'm expecting good efforts out of both of them."
 
The men's team opens the season as the No. 30-ranked squad in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) preseason poll. Georgetown will look to start off the season on a high note having won three-consecutive BIG EAST titles. The Hoyas will only be running seven runners from the men's squad, which includes All-BIG EAST selections Joshua Bell (Nashville, Tenn. / Brentwood Academy) and Eion Nohilly (Golden's Bridge, N.Y. / John Jay). Ty Brownlow (Liverpool, N.Y. / Liverpool), Johnathan Chavez (Knoxville, Tenn. / Knoxville Catholic), Dylan Fine (New York, N.Y. / Dalton School), Dylan Scarsone (Anaheim, Calif. / Canyon), and Henry Smithers (Warwick, R.I. / Gould Academy) will also be running in the 5.2 mile race looking to score points for the Blue and Gray.
 
The women's squad was tabbed No. 25 in the preseason coaches poll and will have eight runners on display in State College. Margie Cullen (Needham, Mass. / Needham) will look to build off a successful 2017 season where she turned in a top-20 finish at the BIG EAST Championships. All-BIG EAST honorees Olivia Arizin (Media, Pa. / Cardinal O'Hara) and Paige Hofstad (New Braunfels, Texas / New Braunfels), as well as veteran runners Maegan Doody (Lee, N.H. / Oyster) and Kayla Grahn (La Canada Flintridge, Calif. / Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy) will all be vying for a strong finish. Georgetown will also feature three freshman runners - Alyssa Aldridge (Linwood, N.J. / Mainland Regional), Katherine Dammer (Clarks Summit, Pa. / Abington Heights), and Katherine Modrall (Carmel, Ind. / Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory) - who were all part of an impressive recruiting class over the summer.
 
"We are excited to open the competitive season and see where our fitness stands early in the season," Director of Track & Field / Cross Country Julie Culley said. "This will give us a chance to see the NCAA Regional course and assess where we are in early September. We are looking forward to a great meet."