Men's Cross Country

Idilio Campos is UT Arlington's leading returner.

CROSS COUNTRY TEAMS OPEN SEASON SATURDAY IN DENTON

Men's team tries to keep momentum after strong finish in 2007.

Sept. 5, 2008

ARLINGTON - - The UT Arlington men's and women's cross country teams kick off the season Saturday morning at the 31st Annual North Texas Invitational in Denton.

The men compete on the 8K course at 9 a.m., followed by the women's competition at 9:30. The women will run 5K to get the season started.

UT Arlington's men are hoping to build on last season's 11th-place finish at the NCAA South Central Regional Meet. To do that, the Mavericks will rely heavily on two runners who finished in the Top 10 at the Southland Conference Cross Country Championships. Back are senior Idilio Campos and junior Ozie Hood, along with Top 30 conference meet finisher Zach Zura.

The Mavericks hope to get improvement and added depth from other returners Ivan Pinal, Heinz Schwartzkopf and Zack Davis.

On the women's side, UT Arlington will try to improve on a fifth-place finish at last season's conference meet. Top returners include Christina Mose, Perri Ford and Caroline Erlingson. Mavericks coach John Sauerhage has added newcomers Jennifer Carey and Amber McSpadden to the mix.

UT Arlington has five meets on the schedule in preparation for the SLC Championships scheduled Nov. 3 in Nacogdoches.

Directions to the North Texas Invitational

Northbound on I-35E: Take the Bonnie Brae Street exit from I- 35, turn left (under Highway), stay left toward Golf Course. Southbound on I-35: Take the W. Oak Street exit, go straight thru the stop sign (beside the Ben E. Keith Distributing facility). Follow service road up the hill, turn left at top of the hill toward the golf course. Turn left on Bonnie Brae Street. The starting area/finish line is on the north side of the Radisson Hotel, adjacent to Bonnie Brae Street. Parking is in the gravel lot across from the UNT Athletic Center (on right).