For Immediate Release: Thursday, 4 September 2003
Contact: Dave Geringer, UTPA Sports Information Director, (956) 381-2240

XC HOSTS HOME OPENER, UTPA RELAY CHALLENGE

EDINBURG, TX-The University of Texas-Pan American's cross country team will host their 2003 home opener when they host the UTPA Relay Challenge at the Ebony Golf Course in Edinburg.

The Broncs and Lady Broncs will host runners from Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and Texas A&M-Kingsville in a meet with a unique format.

Runners will be paired up with teammates. Each male runner will run five laps of a mile each, and each female runner will run five laps of 1000 meters each, and the times will be added up.

"Each team will have their number one runner line up, and they'll run the first leg, and they'll tag their teammate," said UTPA Head Coach Ricky Vaughn. "When they come back, they will each repeat their distance until each person has run that distance five times."

While the format is different, it will allow the coaching staff an opportunity to observe the members of their teams in a competitive situation. "It will give us a chance to see where our fitness level is at," said Vaughn. "It will help us determine who our top seven runners are to take to Albuquerque next weekend. It will be something different, and something fun, and we can see what individuals average for their designated legs, and see how they will be able to run in a regular meet."

Texas-Pan American will return to action next weekend when they visit the University of New Mexico next weekend.

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