BOONE, N.C.  – Appalachian State University women's cross country will kick-off the 2016 campaign at the annual Covered Bridge Open on Friday, Sept, 2 at the State Farm Fields and Kennedy Trails in Boone, N.C. at 5:30 p.m. The women will encounter a 5,000-meter course before the men's race at 6 p.m.

The playing field will include runners from University of Florida, Florida State, University of West Florida, East Carolina, East Tennessee, VMI, Lees-McRae, Mars Hill, and Southern Wesleyan.

The Mountaineers enter their third season as members of the Sun Belt Conference after a thriving second season in the league. Last year, the team finished second at the Sun Belt Cross Country Championships, finishing only twenty points behind first-place South Alabama. The cross country squad also finished fifteen at the NCAA Southeast Regional Championships.

App State returns four of the top six runners from last year's conference championships and NCAA regionals. The returners are highlighted by two-time student-athlete of the week and Sun Belt Conference runner-up Tristin Van Ord.

In 2015, Van Ord finished 20th at the Southeast Regional and ran the second fastest 6K-time ever run by a junior in App State history. After her second-placed performance at the Sun Belt Championships, she earned first team all-conference honors. Her time of 17:51.00 at the conference championships ranks as the sixth-best 5K-time ever run by a junior at Appalachian.

Joining Van Ord for the 2016 season are third team all-conference selections junior Hana Ratcliffe and senior Torre Moser. Moser crossed the finish line in 4th at the conference championships and tabbed top 30 finishes in five meets. Ratcliffe ran a time of 18:59.90 at the conference championships to place 15th and placed in the top 25 in four of the five meet of the 2015 season. 

The Mountaineers have added great talent to the cross country roster full of all-conference selections and four-time letterwinners. The class of 2020 includes Grace Brooks, Kayla Hall, Natalie Richardson, Megan Scannell, Ellen Spencer, and Sarah Venable.

Appalachian also welcomes Kathryn Farina, a senior transfer from High Point University. As a Panther, Farina finished third at the Big South Championships in the steeplechase in 2015 and was a member of the 2014 DMR team that broke the HPU indoor record with a time of 12:04.42 . The Crozet-native will add veteran leadership and experience to the team that will give the Mountaineers the competitive edge. 

Taking a Look Back

Last year at the Covered Bridge Open, the women finished in third with 54 points behind first-place Florida State (29 points) and second-place Florida (42). Pacing the Mountaineers was Van Ord who crossed the finish line in seventh with a 5K-time of 18:13.72. Right behind her was App State alumna Samantha Campanaro in eighth with a time of 18:25.58. Appalachian collected eight top-25 finishes and Natalie Kile set her first personal-best of the season running 18:55.87.

Up Next

The Black and Gold will host the Mountains to Sea Duals in Boone on Friday, Sept.16 at 5:30 p.m.