Cross Country Set To Start Season At Stan Sims Opener

Friday, August 30

Acworth, Ga.

University of Georgia

Stan Sims Cross Country Opener

Cross Country Set To Start Season At Stan Sims Opener

August 29, 2024 | Cross Country

ATHENS, Ga. – The Georgia men's and women's cross country teams will compete in their first of three regular season meets when they open the 2024 campaign at the Stan Sims Cross Country Opener on Friday morning.

Friday marks the third time in four years that the Bulldogs will begin their season at a Kennesaw State-hosted meet and the second time in two years Georgia will compete at the Stan Sims Opener. Head coach Adam Tribble, a 2002 UGA graduate who competed as a distance runner for the Bulldogs and a "Double Dawg" degree winner at the institution, will make his coaching debut for the Bulldogs after serving as the head track & field and cross country coach at California Baptist for the past six seasons.

Fifteen returners from last year's squad will make the trip to Acworth while nine individuals will wear the Red and Black for the first time.

When Do The Starting Guns Fire: The Georgia men will kick off Friday's action from Allatoona Creek Park with the 4-mile race at 8:30 a.m. with the women to follow in the 5k at 9:15 a.m.

Who Is the Competition: The Bulldogs are one of five teams scheduled to compete. Georgia will be joined by Kennesaw State, Georgia Tech, Emory and Brewton-Parker in Friday's meet.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-70s with mostly sunny conditions in Acworth on Friday morning.

Live Results: https://gado.gs/c1f

Tribble's Thoughts: "The team has been training hard for the past two weeks, and we are eager to get a starting point for the season. We have a long way to go, no doubt, but we are excited to get the process started."

What Dogs Are Competing: The Bulldogs are expected to have 24 runners in the field at the Stan Sims Opener, including 14 men and 10 women. For the men, seniors Cole Heron, KC Heron, and Zack Truitt; redshirt sophomore Mark Trammell; sophomores Andrew Balogh, Luke Churchwell, Logan Dingman, John Jessup, Ryan Olree, and Conner Rutherford; and freshmen Conor Clifford, Adam Lippe, Joseph Minecci and Simon Schabort will all compete in the season-opener.

On the women's side, senior Gracie O'Neal; juniors Lorel Golden and Nina Ouellette; sophomores Bella Brick, Bella Cammarota and Ella Kepple; and freshmen Elizabeth Cowley, Kayla Dickerson, Kate Robinson and Izzy Yonas will make the trip to open their seasons for the Red and Black.

Bulldog Debuts: Nine runners are set to make their Georgia debuts on Friday morning. On the men's side, Clifford, Lippe, Minecci, Schabort and Trammell will don the Red and Black for the first time while Cowley, Dickerson, Robinson and Yonas will make their collegiate debuts for the women.

A Look Back At The 2023 Opener: Georgia kicked off last season in strong fashion at the 2023 Stan Sims Cross Country Opener, finishing first and third in the men's and women's races, respectively. In the men's 5k, five Bulldogs placed in the top 10, including race-winner Chase Condra. Current Bulldogs Cole Heron (5^th), KC Heron (9^th), and Churchwell (10^th) all scored points for Georgia, joining Condra and Zachary Roe (4^th) as Georgia's top-five finishers.

In the women's 5k, Charlotte Augenstein led the way in ninth place while Golden finished 10^th. Also gathering points for the Lady Bulldogs were Sophia Baker (12^th), Simone Rojas (17^th), and O'Neal (18^th).

What's Up Next: Georgia will make its way to Huntsville, Ala., for its second regular season meet on Sept. 13, competing in the Southern Showcase. The Bulldogs will then have a month off before taking the course at Alabama's Crimson Classic on Oct. 18. That meet will mark the final regular season meet before the Southeastern Conference Championships, which are slated for Nov. 1 in College Station, Texas.

Following the SEC Championships, the Bulldogs will head to Tallahassee, Fla., for the NCAA South Regional on Nov. 15. Those who qualify will continue their season at the NCAA Championships on Nov. 23 in Madison, Wis.

Where To Find Bulldog News: Results and recaps from the Bulldogs' cross country season will be found at georgiadogs.com. News and updates from Georgia's track and field and cross country teams are always located on X/Instagram at @UGATrack.