Hurricanes Return to Action in Gainesville

Sept. 17, 2009

CORAL GABLES – The University of Miami cross country teams will run in the University of Florida’s Mountain Dew Invitational in Gainesville, Fla., Friday beginning at 6:30 p.m.

The women will begin at 6:30 and will be running on a 5k course. In Miami’s season-opener, two weeks ago in the Greentree Invitational, Sophomore Janet Price led the team to a third place finish and was the third individual finisher.

This weekend there will be four women that will be making their season debuts at UF – sophomores Alexandra Budenz and Casey Crist and juniors Caitlin Knapp and Emma Steppe. Last fall, Steppe was the top-finisher for the Hurricanes three times.

For the men, freshman Greg Kaczka will be making his collegiate debut and will be one of six runners for the young squad. Julio Bonilla will be the lone senior running for either the men or women’s teams. At the Greentree Invitational, Bonilla was the 13th overall finisher and was behind only junior Charles Michel for the `Canes. Michel was the seventh overall finisher and this week the two upperclassmen will be counted on to set the pace for Miami.

The men are scheduled to start after the women’s race is complete at approximately 7 p.m. and will face a tough 8k course.

In their next event, the Hurricanes will travel outside the state borders for the first time of the season, when they compete in the Great American Cross Country Festival in Cary, N.C. on Friday, Oct. 2.