Fayetteville, NC - Fayetteville State University's cross-country team will begin their season this Friday, September 9th, at the Livingstone College Blue Bears Invitational in Salisbury, NC. The women's 5K race will begin at 9:00 a.m. followed by the men's 8K race at 9:45 a.m. at the Salisbury Community Park.
The competition features CIAA opponents Bowie State, Claflin, Elizabeth City, Johnson C. Smith, Lincoln (PA), Shaw, Virginia Union, and Winston-Salem State with outside competition coming from Central Carolina Community College, and Cleveland Community College.
FSU is led by Head Coach Inez Turner, who enters her sixth season at the helm of the program. She has guided the women's cross-country team to four consecutive titles (2017, 2018, 2019, and 2021) and has big goals for both teams this season.
"I thank God for the opportunity to start the season, and I'm very excited because we have some new students that are doing some great work," said 2022 Women's Co-Coach of the Year Coach Turner. "Coming back from the COVID break, these guys are very excited and know what they need to do."
Coach Turner believes that the women are fierce and ready to go. The squad competing this Friday features Kierra Beasley, Sierra Beasley, Micah Bernard, Anna Buckley, Brenda Cheboi, Mercy Chemutai, Nia Gibson, Shanae Ingram, Holley Johnson, and Aaliyah Saunders.
"We're going to let people understand that we are ready to take on the fifth championship. We're going to always aim big, in a very humble way."
Striving to move the men's program toward its first conference title, Coach Turner has worked to strengthen the core of the men's team. On Friday, the men's squad will consist of Ivan Delgado, Derrick Kipchumba, Brian Kiptanui, Charles Pumba, and Hillary Toroith.
"We brought on some new guys this year, and we're truly excited because anything we do in the male program this year when it comes down to a cross country team is going to be history for the school," said Turner. "We're going to go out there from day one, and we're going to push with the understanding that we are the champions."
