By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
Belmont Opener
Date: Sunday, Jan. 24, 2021
Time: 1:30 p.m. CT
Location: Percy Warner Park | Nashville, Tenn.
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech men's cross country team is set to kick off its 2020-21 campaign Sunday afternoon at the Belmont Opener in Nashville, Tenn. Hosted by Ohio Valley Conference and in-state rival Belmont, the event will take place at Percy Warner Park.
The men's 8K will begin at 1:30 p.m. CT, following the women's 5K at 1:00 p.m.
Returning to the Golden Eagles from the 2019 campaign are senior Ababu Mohamed, junior Gabriel Kiprono and redshirt sophomore Dennis Kipkorir. Last season, Mohamed was the lead man for each of Tech's five events while Kiprono placed second among the purple and gold participants at each meet.
Mohamed captured a season-best 8K of 25:31.1 at the Upstate Invitational, finishing second overall. He also won the Murray State Open. Kiprono finished the Upstate Invitational with a season-best time of 25:50.6. Kipkorir sat out the 2019 season as a redshirt after transferring from Middle Tennessee.
New to the Tech roster for the 2020-21 season are freshmen Chase Faudi, Rylee Hertter, Clayton Kirkus, Isaac Korir and Austin McCowan.
The Field
The Belmont Opener field consists of host Belmont, as well as Austin Peay, Chattanooga, Evansville, Jacksonville State, Lipscomb, North Alabama, Northern Kentucky, Miami (Ohio), Murray State, Tennessee Tech, Tennessee State and Vanderbilt.
Up Next
Following this weekend's race, the Golden Eagles will compete next at the Seminole Invitational on Feb. 5 in Tallahassee, Fla.
Photo by Ohio Valley Conference
