SPRINGFIELD, Mo.– Drury men’s and women’s cross country teams open their 2024 season on Friday at the Bearcat Classic, hosted by Southwest Baptist at the Bolivar Municipal Golf Course in Bolivar, Missouri.
The men’s race is a four-mile run and starts at 5:30 pm, and the women’s contest is a five-kilometer event with the starting gun at 6:15 pm.
The Drury men’s team enters the season coming off of a third place finish in the Great Lakes Valley Conference championship meet in 2023, their best finish at that event in 14 years. The Panthers were picked third in this year’s GLVC preseason coaches’ poll and return all five of their all-conference performers from last season. The Drury men’s team won the Bearcat Classic last year.
The DU women’s squad was the conference runner-up last year, marking their best finish at the league championship in program history. Drury was selected for third in the GLVC coaches’ poll and has five returners along with seven newcomers. The Panthers finished third in the women’s meet last season.
Head coach Luke Karamitros is in his first year leading the cross country program. He took over Drury’s indoor and outdoor track & field teams in January of 2024.
Following their season opener, both Drury cross country teams compete again on Sept. 13 in the Springfield Twilight held at the Betty and Bobby Allison Sports Complex.
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