University of North Carolina Athletics
Carolina Announces 2011 Cross Country Schedule
July 2, 2011 | Cross Country
July 2, 2011
CHAPEL HILL- The Carolina cross country team has finalized its 2011 fall schedule, head coach Pete Watson announced this week. The Tar Heels will host the annual UNC Invitational as their season-opener, followed by three away meets before post-season action.
UNC will open the 2011 season with a low-key home meet on Sept. 2, which will help coaches evaluate how the runners are doing. Some athletes will travel to Elon on Sept. 17, to get more race experience before the Tar Heels travel to the University of Florida to compete against the Gators and the University of Michigan on Sept. 23. That will be the first meet where Carolina can earn vaulable at-large points to qualify for the NCAA Championships.
UNC will then travel to the University of Wisconsin for their final and most competitive regular-season meet. That invitational will feature 40 teams who will be vying for more at-large points for NCAAs.
"We took the teams to Wisconsin last year and really felt the course there is one of the nicest in the country," Watson said. "We will get great competitive experience before heading into the championship portion of the season."
The ACC Cross Country Championships will be at Clemson on Oct. 29. Last year, the men's team finished third and the women's team placed fifth overall. The NCAA Southeast Regional Championships will be held in Louisville, Ky., again this year where the Tar Heels will hope to earn more points to compete at the NCAA Championships on Nov. 21. The national meet will be held in Terre Haute, Ind., once again this year. In 2010, the women's team took 14th overall behind Kendra Schaaf's 11th-place individual All-America finish.
Stay tuned to Tar Heel Blue for more information on the 2011 Carolina cross country season.