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Joe Browning/UNCWsports.com

Men's Cross Country Joe Browning

Cross Country Teams Make Debut At Elon

WILMINGTON, North Carolina – The UNCW cross country teams compete in the first of five regular season races on Friday, Sept. 3, 2021, when the Seahawks race in the Elon XC Opener.
 
The Seahawks, beginning their second season under Jeff Klaves, will carry six men and eight women to the Triad area. The women kick the day off with a 4K race at 8:15 p.m. followed by the men with a 6K competition at 8:45 p.m.
 
"We're excited about kick starting the season under the lights this Friday," said Klaves, who begins his third season with the Seahawks. "The field is always deep and full of nationally-ranked teams to welcome everyone back to the cross country season.

"The togetherness of this year's group has been fun to watch. Their mentality is right where it needs to be going into this year and I look forward to seeing them battle together on Friday.  They have been there for each other daily and I expect the same going into our first race."  

The men's team features Ryan Camden (Senior/Shawboro, N.C.), Collin Dempsey (Sophomore/Frederick, Md.), Ethan Gildenberg (Sophomore/Highland Park, N.J.), Zach Koivisto (Sophomore/Dupont, Wash.), Cam Milroy (Sophomore/Greensboro, N.C.) and Zeke Shore (Senior/Raleigh, N.C.).
 
Klaves said, "On the men's side, we're young and looking to build on the short season experience we gained last year. It's always a test moving up to the 8k for the men and starting our season off with two shorter races -  a 6k and 5k - will allow us to keep talking about the things we need to execute when we move up to the full distance."

Eight runners will take part in the women's race, including Gretchen Bingham (Junior/Holly Springs, N.C.), Chloe Byrd (Senior/Dunedin, Fla.), Kendall Hobbs (Sophomore/Beavercreek, Ohio), Elizabeth Joy (Sophomore/Austinburg, Ohio), Summer Owens (Graduate Student/Richmond, Va.), Taylor Rand (Freshman/Weddington, N.C.), Madeline Sullivan (Sophomore/Mooresville, N.C.) and Alexa Woltjen (Senior/Mount Laurel, N.J.).
 
Klaves expects Byrd and Owens, both team captains, to lead the team of eight women throughout the year. "We've embraced our small, but elite mentality. Everyone has been building confidence during the preseason and Elon will be a great benchmark to evaluate our growth so far." 

Following Friday's race, the Seahawk teams stage their only home event of the season, the UNCW Beach Blast, next Friday, Sept. 10, at Olsen Park.
 
"This year's schedule is set up for us perfectly," according to Klaves. "We're going to run two short races early at Elon and our own Beach Blast. On our Appalachian State weekend, we will race on Friday, then spend time in the mountains to optimize our workouts at altitude and on the trails. We'll transition to two great meets hosted by longtime rivals Coastal Carolina and East Carolina. Northeastern will then host the CAA Championship at historic Franklin Park to begin the championship segment of the season."
 
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Players Mentioned

Ryan Camden

Ryan Camden

5' 11"
Senior
Collin Dempsey

Collin Dempsey

5' 9"
Sophomore
Ethan Gildenberg

Ethan Gildenberg

5' 7"
Sophomore
Zach Koivisto

Zach Koivisto

5' 8"
Sophomore
Cam Milroy

Cam Milroy

5' 11"
Junior
Zeke Shore

Zeke Shore

5' 7"
Senior
Gretchen Bingham

Gretchen Bingham

5' 6"
Junior
Chloe Byrd

Chloe Byrd

5' 2"
Senior
Kendall Hobbs

Kendall Hobbs

5' 3"
Sophomore
Elizabeth Joy

Elizabeth Joy

5' 4"
Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Ryan Camden

Ryan Camden

5' 11"
Senior
Collin Dempsey

Collin Dempsey

5' 9"
Sophomore
Ethan Gildenberg

Ethan Gildenberg

5' 7"
Sophomore
Zach Koivisto

Zach Koivisto

5' 8"
Sophomore
Cam Milroy

Cam Milroy

5' 11"
Junior
Zeke Shore

Zeke Shore

5' 7"
Senior
Gretchen Bingham

Gretchen Bingham

5' 6"
Junior
Chloe Byrd

Chloe Byrd

5' 2"
Senior
Kendall Hobbs

Kendall Hobbs

5' 3"
Sophomore
Elizabeth Joy

Elizabeth Joy

5' 4"
Sophomore