SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- Head cross country coach, Bryan Jackson, has the Wofford Terriers ready for a move up the Southern Conference ladder in 2010 with depth on the women’s side and a conference contender on the men’s side. The two teams will open the 2010 season at the Eye Opener Invitational in Spartanburg Saturday.

The men’s squad will rely heavily on the legs and experience of sophomore Trey Parker, who, as a freshman in 2009, broke a school record in every meet. Parker currently holds the school record in the in the 8k with a time of 26:04 and in the 10k with time of 32:17. Both records are also freshman records for the program.

“Parker has the ability to be a top five finisher in this year’s Southern Conference Meet and could contend for the individual title,” Jackson said.

Jackson also returns sophomore Russell Baker, who was named to the Southern Conference Outdoor Track and Field All-Freshman team in the 5k last season, and junior Mavrick Harris, who along with Parker are the team’s top returning runners from their 2009 campaign.
Freshmen Ben Boyles and Chase Wolfe will give the Terriers a deeper team than they have had in the past.

On the women’s side, Jackson’s Terriers will rely on their depth and ability to run in a pack. The team will have four freshman that could finish in the team’s top seven, and all four freshman could land on the Southern Conference All-Freshman Team.

“Our goal is to have our top five runners be in the top 20 in the Southern Conference,” Jackson said. “We have great depth and a talented young team with strong senior leadership."

Sophomore Nicole Klasnic currently holds the school record in the 5k with a time of 18:48 while sophomore Shelby Harris holds the school record in the 6k with a time of 23:43. Both Klasnic’s and Harris’ records are Wofford freshman records, as well.

Along with Klasnic and Harris, who was named to the outdoor all-freshman team, the Terriers will have returners senior Caitlin Dodd, sophomore Andrea Kelsey, who was named to the indoor and outdoor all-freshman team, and sophomore Kim Stauffer as the team’s top performers from 2009.

Jackson welcomes newcomers Alyssa Burket, Carly Egan, Sam Hughes and Katie Kessler to add to the team’s youth and depth.

The Terriers’ first meet will be Saturday at the Milliken Research Park in Spartanburg as they prepare for the Southern Conference Meet on October 30th in Boone, N.C. Overall Wofford will have seven meets to prepare and qualify for the NCAA National Meet in Terre Haute, Ind. on November 22nd.