2024 Tech cross country campaign kicks off at Belmont Opener
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech cross country teams will officially kick off their 2024 seasons Friday morning at the Belmont Opener in Nashville. Hosted by Belmont, the event will take place at Vaughn's Creek Cross Country Course at Percy Warner Park.
By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
Belmont Opener
Date: Friday, Aug. 30, 2024
Time: 8:40 a.m. CT (women – 5K) & 9:10 a.m. CT (men – 5K)
Location: Vaughn's Creek Cross Country Course at Percy Warner Park | Nashville, Tenn.
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech cross country teams will officially kick off their 2024 seasons Friday morning at the Belmont Opener in Nashville. Hosted by Belmont, the event will take place at Vaughn's Creek Cross Country Course at Percy Warner Park.
The women's 5K will begin at 8:40 a.m. CT with the men's 5K to follow at approximately 9:10 a.m.
The Golden Eagle women's squad enters 2024 following its third top-four showing in as many seasons at the Ohio Valley Conference Championships, looking to build on the momentum. The purple and gold welcome back four of the top five finishers at the event for this year's campaign.
Headlining the Tech squad is All-OVC First Team honoree Helen Pacurariu-Nagy, who earned a sixth-place showing at the OVC Championships last season for her second career First Team accolade from the league and paced the purple and gold in all six events. Rookie sensation Makaleigh Jessee will look to build off a successful freshman campaign that saw the youngster earn All-OVC Second Team honors after placing 13th overall at the OVC Championships and second in each race for the purple and gold.
Senior Chloe Wade brings experience as Tech's third-place finisher in its first four events last year, as well as a top-five showing at the OVC's meet. Cookeville native Maddie Long earned a fourth-place performance last season at the OVC's and was a top-five finisher for Tech three other times as well.
Fellow returners for the 2024 season on the women's side are Lauryn Jackson, Kendall Johnson, Hayley Stegall, and Taylor Ward. Rounding out the Golden Eagle roster are freshmen Savanna Amos, Hannah Faudi, Megan Forstner, Zaely Tilt, and Rylee Wells.
The Tech men's team also delivered a solid performance at the OVC Championships in 2023, placing at least fourth for the third year in a row, a program record. Three of the squad's top five finishers at the league's event are back for the 2024 season.
Leading the returners are All-OVC First Team selection and senior Miceal McCaul, who placed fourth at last year's league championships with the second-fastest 8K in program history. He became the first Tech men's cross country runner to earn All-OVC honors three times while leading the team in five of six races.
Joining him is All-OVC Second Team honoree James Hyland. The fellow senior ranked second in three events for the Golden Eagles last year with one win. Also back is junior Isaac Legault, Tech's fifth-place finisher in the first five meets last season and this year's Tennessee Tech Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) President.
Other returners for Tech include Carter Bradford and Robert Dawson. Joining the Golden Eagle men's unit for the 2024 season are rookies Sam Bridges, Spencer Hyde, and Dante Torres .
Up Next
Following this weekend's race, the Golden Eagles will head west for the UT Martin XC OVC Preview in Martin, Tenn. on Saturday, Sept. 14.
Photos by Brad Laux, Morehead State
