Harriers open season at home

FAYETTEVILLE – The University of Arkansas Lady Razorback cross country team opens its 2007 season on Friday night when it hosts the Fayetteville Invitational at the Agri Park Cross Country Course at 6:30 p.m.

The Lady Razorbacks are coming off a fantastic season in which they finished fifth at the NCAA Championships and took Southeastern Conference and NCAA South Central Regional Championships. Returning nearly its entire squad from a year ago, the 2007 team has its sights set very high.

“We had a great season last year,” Arkansas head coach Lance Harter said. “Hopefully we can duplicate that this fall. This meet is a way for us to get our feet wet and gets a race in before we have some very tough competitions in the near future.”

The Lady Razorbacks host Missouri Southern in the 2007 version of the Fayetteville Invitational. Missouri Southern was a distant third at the 2006 race behind both Arkansas and Missouri State. Last fall the Lady Razorbacks finished with the top seven individual runners and took a perfect score of 15 for the third time in four years. Arkansas is also on a streak of 17 straight opening race victories dating back to 1990.

Individually, junior Christine Kalmer will be counted on to lead Arkansas as she has over the past two seasons. Kalmer is the two-time defending champion at the Fayetteville Invitational, but faces stiff competition from teammates Dacia Barr and Denise Bargiachi if she hopes to win for a third time.

For more information about Lady Razorback cross country or about Arkansas women’s athletics, please go to www.ladybacks.com.