NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- The Christopher Newport University men's and women's cross country schedules were released today, announced by second-year head coach Matt Barreau. In its final year competing in the USA South Athletic Conference, the Captains will host a pair of meets in 2012 and will also travel to Oregon for a competitive meet hosted by Willamette University.

"We are very excited to be hosting two events this year, including what we expect to be a very high quality invite in mid-October," Barreau said. "Our schedule is quite different than it has been in years past. We are lining up meets with the goal of preparing our team to become a contender at our own Regional Championship, and then to continuing to grow into a competitive team on the National level."

The Captains will open with the CNU Opener at Bells Mill Park in Chesapeake, Virginia on August 31. Two weeks later on September 15, CNU will travel to the JMU Invite held at the New Market Battlefield in New Market, Virginia. 

Then, CNU will split up its squad on September 29 for a pair of meets including the cross-country road trip. A group of Captains will compete at the Willamette Invite in Salem, Oregon, against a tough field.

"Taking our group out to the Willamette Invite in Oregon will provide us a great opportunity to run against teams from other regions who are qualifying to the National Meet on a regular basis. That event site will also be the host of their Regional Championship this year, so that is sure to add depth to an already quality event. I think as we continue to raise the expectations of our program it is important to expose ourselves to the best competition beyond our region as well."

The rest of the team will compete at the Salisbury Invite at Winter Place Park in Maryland. The Captains harriers will then close out the regular season with the CNU Invite on Saturday, October 13. 

"Our home Invite will also bring in some great teams from all different levels. We have several D-I teams committed, as well as a team who qualified to the D-II National Championship last year, and several who made the D-III National Meet," Barreau said. "No meet on the schedule will be taken lightly; it can't be if we are truly trying to become a powerful program. We have won 19 consecutive men's Conference Championships and 15 of the past 17 for the women. But we will still treat it like a Championship Meet and look to use it to prepare us for our biggest test two weeks later at the Regional Meet in Atlanta, GA."

Christopher Newport will race in its final USA South Conference Championship meet on Saturday, October 27, as it looks to conclude a dominant run in the league with another championship. The conference meet will be held at Hagan Stone Park in Greensboro, N.C.

The NCAA Regional Championship will be held in Atlanta, followed by the NCAA National Championship meet in Terre Haute, Indiana on November 17.

For more information about home meets, please contact Matthew Barreau at 503-936-0441 or matthew.barreau@cnu.edu