Lakeland, Fla., August 31, 2023 – The University of South Florida men's and women's cross country teams kick off their 2023 season on Friday, September 1 at the Mocs XC Kick-Off in Lakeland, Fla., at Holloway Park.
The women's 4K race will kick off at 7:15 a.m., while the men's 6K race will begin at 7:45 a.m.
"A new season creates new opportunities. We know we have talent and we know that it is going to take hard work to maximize that talent," new Cross Country Coach Tony Nicolosi said. "We are excited to start this new season and see how much better we will be when the journey is over."
Graduate student Nickolas Kamen (Naples) and junior Sebastian Edwards (Celebration) are the men's team's eldest returners for this 2023 season, while sophomore runners Cason Meyer (Lutz), Tyler Wadsworth (Port Charlotte) and Jesse Benavides (Jacksonville) are looking to build on their first campaigns and contribute to Bulls this season. True freshman Jackson Dravo is expected by coaches to make an immediate impact.
Senior Kelly Lynch (Wilmington, Del.) along with Juniors Sydney Granack (Bradenton) and Grace Johnson (Naples) are the top returners for the women's team. True freshman Marlo Hibler (Ft. Lauderdale) will be debuting with team USF at this Friday's XC Kick-Off.
Following the Bulls' opener in Lakeland, they travel to Gainesville, Fla. to compete in the Mountain Dew Invitational scheduled for Friday, Sept. 15.
About USF Cross Country
The USF Cross Country team has earned 2 All-America selections, Christina Benton in 2002 and Gray Mavhera in 1994. The Bulls have advanced to the NCAA Cross Country Championships seven times in program history, three times for the men and four times for the women. The USF men's teams have won seven team conference championships and the women have won five team championships. Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Erik Jenkins took over the program in 2019 and during his tenure the Bulls posted twelve program records and 106 top 10 all-time program marks. USF hosted the 2018 NCAA Track and Field East Preliminary and the 2021 AAC Outdoor Championship at the USF Track and Field Stadium, as well as the 2022 AAC Country Cross Country Championship at Holloway Park.
– #GoBulls –
