Cross Country Teams Head West for Pac-12 Preview Invitational

CLEMSON, SC – Nine members of the Clemson women’s cross country team and eight members of the men’s squad will travel to the West Coast this weekend to compete in the Pac-12 Preview Invitational.  The meet will be held Friday in Santa Clarita, CA at the Robinson Ranch Golf Course, and will include several of the top teams in the Pac-12 Conference.  UCLA will serve as the meet’s host school. The women’s 5K invitational is scheduled to start at 5:40 PM (local time), followed by the men’s 8K at 6:20.  Clemson has traveled the maximum number of entries on the women’s side, including veterans Natalie Anthony and Kate Borowicz.  The two were Clemson’s top performers in the season opener three weeks ago at home.  Borowicz edged Anthony at the finish line to take the runner-up position. Erin Barker, who was fourth at the Clemson Invitational, will also make the trip for the Tigers.  She graduated from Furman University in the spring and has a year of eligibility remaining.  Clemson’s other members of the women’s travel squad are Brianna Blanton, Brianna Feerst, Lisa Girard, Alyssa Henshaw, Sara Manesiotis and Cara Talty. The men’s team will take eight competitors, one less than the maximum allowed.  Aaron Ramirez highlights the group, as he claimed the individual crown at the Clemson Invitational on Aug. 31 to open the fall campaign.  Ramirez ran an opening 5K time of 15:34 and won by over 30 seconds. The other veterans in Clemson’s lineup will be Martin Maloney and Tim Tyler.  Both finished among the top four at the Clemson Invitational, with Tyler the runner-up and Maloney the fourth-place finisher.  The rest of Clemson’s lineup will be comprised of all freshmen – Jack Andritsch, Travis Christenberry, Roland Hakes, Steven Phillips and Cole Rains.