Huntingdon to restart men’s and women’s cross country programs

Huntingdon College President J. Cameron West announced on Wednesday the return of men's and women's cross country beginning in the fall of 2017.

The search for a head coach will begin soon.

With the return of the men's and women's cross country programs, Huntingdon will offer 18 varsity sports. Cross country will be among the 14 sports that compete in the USA South Athletic Conference. Wrestling, men's lacrosse, women's golf and women's sand volleyball compete as independents.

"We are thrilled to reintroduce cross country as an intercollegiate sport at Huntingdon for both men and women," said West. "As our admission counselors have traveled the region, cross country is the most requested sport by prospective students beyond those we already offer. Huntingdon's previous cross country teams attracted student-athletes who were among the strongest in the classroom as well as on the course, and who are now among our star young alumni."

Huntingdon competed in cross country from 2008-2012. As members of the Great South Athletic Conference, the men's and women's programs combined to win five conference titles in the first four seasons.

The men's program won conference titles in 2008, 2010 and 2011 and finished as the conference runner-up in 2009. The men also produced the conference Runner of the Year and Coach of the Year three times, as well as nine all-conference runners and two all-freshman team selections.

On the women's side, Huntingdon captured conference championships in 2009 and 2010 and was the conference runner-up in 2008 and 2011. The women's program produced a three-time conference Runner of the Year, two-time Coach of the Year, 15 all-conference selections and seven all-freshman runners.

"The men's and women's cross country teams both enjoyed success in our former conference. We hope to see similar success with the return of the program," Huntingdon athletic director Mike Turk said. "We believe the addition of cross country will bolster our athletic program. As with all of our sports, we want our student-athletes to excel in competition and in the classroom."