By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
Covered Bridge Open
Date: Friday, Sept. 2, 2022
Time: 4:00 p.m. CT (women – 5K) & 4:45 p.m. CT (men – 8K)
Location: Don Kennedy Trails at State Farm Fields | Boone, N.C.
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech cross country teams will officially kick off their 2022 seasons Friday afternoon at the Covered Bridge Open in Boone, N.C. Hosted by App State, the event will take place at the Don Kennedy Trails at State Farm Fields.
The women's 5K will begin at 4:00 p.m. CT with the men's 8K to follow at approximately 4:45 p.m.
The Golden Eagles are coming off the most successful campaign in program history, turning in its top-ever finish at the Ohio Valley Conference Championships in 2021 with a runner-up showing. The purple and gold return each of its top four finishers at the event.
Back for the Tech squad are All-OVC First Team honorees Helen Pacurariu-Nagy and Amanda Laboy, who turned in third and seventh-place finishes at the league championships a year ago. Both Rahab Sawe and Ruby Wyles (the reigning OVC Female Freshman of the Year) also return after collecting All-OVC Second Team accolades at the OVC's annual event, solidifying a deep roster that also brings back Emma Bradford, Maddie Long, Shelby Udovich, and Taylor Ward.
New to the women's roster for the 2022 campaign are freshmen Ava Costello, Lauryn Jackson, Kendall Johnson, Makenna Merkley, sophomore transfer Chloe Wade (King University), and junior transfer Breanna Roy (UT Martin).
The Tech men's team also delivered a stellar performance at the OVC Championships in 2021, placing third to tie the program's best showing since 1967. Seven of the squad's top eight finishers at the league's event are back for the 2022 season.
Leading the returners are All-OVC Second Team selections Dominic Smith and Miceal McCaul (the reigning OVC Male Freshman of the Year), who finished 10th and 13th in the championships a season ago. Also back for the experienced group are sophomores Nick Beattie, Robert Dawson, Chase Faudi, Clayton Kirkus, and Austin McCowan.
Joining the Golden Eagle men's unit for the 2022 season are freshmen Carter Bradford and Isaac Legault, as well as sophomore transfer Samuel Goodchild (Cardiff University).
The Field
The Covered Bridge Open field consists of host App State, as well as Florida State, Lees-McRae, High Point, Lenoir Rhyne, Louisville, Mercer, Milligan, Southern Indiana, Tennessee Tech, UNC Asheville, West Florida, and Western Carolina.
Up Next
Following this weekend's race, the Golden Eagles will return to Cookeville to host the Golden Eagle Invitational on Friday, Sept. 16.
Photos by Thomas Corhern
