NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - The Christopher Newport University men's and women's cross country teams will kick off their 2012 campaigns on Friday when the Captains compete in the CNU/VWC Opener at Bells Mill Park in Chesapeake, Virginia.

The women get underway at 6 p.m. on Friday, while the men's half of the meet begins at 6:40 p.m. Both races will be preceded by a high school competition at 4 p.m.

"This team has set some really high goals this season, and we are really excited for the meet on Friday," said head coach Matthew Barreau, who begins his second season at the helm of the program. "For some, the process started last year when we were working together for the first time. For some, it started on their recruiting trip last year when they saw CNU's vision. For some, it clicked over the summer. And for some, it was the first team meeting on Aug. 17. Regardless, this will be the first meet where we all get to wear the same uniform and take the first steps toward those goals together."

On the men's side, CNU has lofty expectations after opening the year ranked No. 8 in the South/Southeast Regional Poll. Looking for their 20th straight USA South Athletic Conference championship, the Captains return a strong collection of veteran standouts and welcome several promising newcomers as they prepare for another title run.

"Our men's team is much tighter than it was last year, both in talent level and in unity," said Barreau. "Most of them are coming off their best seasons and best summers of training and really have a lot of momentum. And we are going to spend the season continuing that momentum and letting ourselves loose. The more they test themselves, the more they will surprise themselves of what they are truly capable of accomplishing."

Reigning USA South champion Ray Gamache headlines the list of returners after capturing the conference crown in 2011. During the title meet, he cruised to a victory with a time of 26:09.55. Three other All-Conference performers also return to help anchor the squad. Patrick Cunningham, Bradley Turner, and Aaron Zook are looking to build upon their past accomplishments and continue to lead the team in 2012.

The women are primed for another title run as well, receiving the No. 5 spot in the South/Southeast Regional Rankings while earning the distinction as the USA South preseason favorites in the conference coaches poll. Similar to the men, the women are looking to capture their 16th league title and their 14th in the last 15 years.

"A lot is going to be said of the newcomers this year, because we brought in 11 new freshmen who are extremely fired up and ready to go, and many of them are going to be key contributors this season," said Barreau. "But I cannot say enough about how much the returners have done to make that possible. Their commitment last year to the recruiting process was phenomenal, and it has paid off. And their leadership so far this year has helped this team come together faster than I had expected."

The veteran portion of the roster will be led by eight returning All-Conference selections. Junior speedster Erin Rolaf is at the forefront of that group after placing in the top-20 of the NCAA Regionals last season. She is joined by fellow All-Conference performers Karen Bumiller, Jessica McClelland, Julie Machamer, Sarah Russell, Brittney House, Meaghan Grant, and Emily Whitby.

The Captains are looking to get off to another fast start in 2012. During each of the last two years, the men's and women's teams posted impressive victories in the season opener to set the tone for the rest of the year.

---CNU---