The High Point University women's cross country team begins is 2010 campaign with the Covered Bridge Open on Friday in Boone, N.C. The Panthers will look for a strong start that will help improve their fourth-place finish at last year's Big South Championship.
Friday's women's race will be 5,000 meters and begin at 5 p.m.
HPU's top returner is senior
Emily Webb (Gloucester, Va./Gloucester), who earned All-Conference honors after finishing eighth at the 2009 Big South Championship. Webb performed well in the distance events on the track last spring, placing third in the 10,000-meter and seventh in the 5,000 at the Big South Championship.
After Webb, HPU has several upperclassmen who can contribute. Senior
Brittany Killough (Bowling Green, Va./JJ Kelly) had a strong outdoor track season. She has been training well but will not compete for HPU until later in the cross country season. Junior
Kelsey Fraser (Lockport, N.Y./Lockport) had a strong freshman year and will look to regain that form. Seniors
Monica Delizo (Rockville, Md./Richard Montgomery) and
Dianna Bell (Thomasville, N.C./Ledford) will provide depth for the Panthers.
The Panthers will look for strong contributions once again from its sophomores, as
Kelsey Hunt (Bedford, N.H./Manchester West),
Kelsey Paine (Daniels, W.Va./Shady Spring),
Dani Paul (Auburn, Maine/Edward Little) and
Kaylyn Peck (Lutherville, Md./Dulaney) all showed progress as freshmen last year. Peck was injured during the 2009 cross country season but came back to score in the 1,500-meter at the Big South Championship during the outdoor season.
HPU has three freshmen who all have the potential to be in the top seven --
Colleen Hollowood (Saratoga Springs, N.Y./Saratoga Springs),
Audrey Malloy (Pennsburg, Pa./Upper Perkiomen) and
Kayleigh Perry (Myerstown, Pa./Eastern Lebanon County). They will be looked upon to help replace graduates Joya Canfield and Geneva Winterink.
HPU was picked to finish fourth in the Big South Preseason Poll, the same position the Panthers finished in the 2009 championship.