Cross Country Kicks Off 2025 Campaign at Spider Alumni Open
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — The Virginia men’s and women’s cross country programs are set for their season-opening races as the Cavaliers travel to Pole Green Park in Richmond, Va. to compete in the Spider Alumni Open on Saturday (Aug. 30).
How to Follow
The 2025 Spider Alumni Open will not be streamed. Live results are available at Blue Ridge Timing and VirginiaSports.com. Fans can also get updates by following the program’s official Twitter account (@UVAtfcc).
Men’s 6k race at 9:15 a.m.
Women’s 4k race at 9:50 a.m.
Rankings
The Virginia men enter the season ranked No.6 in the USTFCCCA preseason national poll while the women’s team checked in at No.20. The ACC Preseason Coaches Poll placed the Cavalier men at No.2 and the women at No.5.
Noting the Cavaliers…
- Virginia returns more than half of its roster including 17 men and 12 women from the 2024 season
- Key returns include All-American Gary Martin. Martin won the ACC Cross Country Championship in record time (22:17.6, 8k) and finished 13th at the 2024 NCAA Cross Country Championships (29:02.3, 10k).
- Martin was named the 2024 ACC Cross Country Scholar-Athlete of the Year and 2024 ACC Cross Country Performer of the Year.
- The Virginia women return three of the seven athletes who competed at the NCAA Championships and finished within the top-15 leading the team to a 14th place finish overall.
- On the men’s side, Virginia’s top finishers at the NCAA Championships in Will Anthony, Justin Wachtel, Nate Mountain and Martin will be on the course this fall. Five of the seven participants return for the Cavaliers.
- In the USTFCCCA preseason polls, the women checked in at No.2 in the Southeastern Regional poll and No.6 in the national poll.
- In the USTFCCCA preseason polls, the men checked in at No.1 in the Southeastern Regional poll and No.20 in the national poll.
- In the ACC Preseason poll, the men checked in at No.2 while the women checked in at No.5.