Harrogate, TN- Men's and women's cross country will open their 2024 season at home on Friday, September 6th. The race will take place at Monte Vista in Ewing, VA with the women to run at 5 PM and the men to follow at 5:30 pm. The competition field will includes the likes of Carson-Newman, Tusculum, UVA-Wise, and an unattached club from arount the East TN area.

Both the men and women were picked fifth in the SAC Preseason Coaches' Poll for the upcoming season. The conference also dubbed four Splitters as Runners to Watch in Marig Engelbrecht, Simon Fillers, Grace Rose, and Katie Smock. The are part of 23 Railsplitters competing in the Open. The women's slate will include Bachtel, Begley, Brosthaus, Croft, Curde, Gent, McIntosh, McIntyre, Rose, Rush, Smock, and Truelove. The men will feature Borkey, Branham, Chandler, Cooper, Daniels, Engelbrecht, Fillers, Fulton, Gober, Preston, and Trimm. 

The race will be the first of four regular season races for the teams. Head Coach Jeff Kavalunas said this ahead of Friday's race, "We are very excited to finally get this competitive season started.  Both the men and women are coming off the summer with great fitness and training, ready to start competing and preparing for great performances at the championships later this season.  We are especially pumped to start the season off with a home competition.  It has been nearly ten years since LMU last hosted a home cross-country meet."