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Mar. 13, 1997

Texas Tech Cross Country Begins 1997 Season

LUBBOCK, Texas -- The 1997 mens and womens cross country season will get underway this Saturday, September 6 as Texas Tech hosts the Red Raider Invitational. Held at Mae Simmons Park, the womens 5K race begins at 9 a.m. with the mens 8K following at 9:45 a.m.

Formerly known as the Red Raider Open, the meet will feature six schools. Competing with the Red Raider squad will be the mens and womens teams from Eastern New Mexico University, Dallas Baptist University, West Texas A&M, South Plains College, and Wayland Baptist University.

The meet will be head coach Greg Sholars debut at the helm of mens and womens cross country. Sholars has spent the past three years coaching the mens track and field team, helping the Red Raiders to eight All-America performances at the 1997 NCAA Track and Field National Championships. He now heads up Texas Techs entire running program, including the mens and womens cross country and track and field teams.

Were excited about getting an opportunity to look at how our team stacks up this year, said Sholars. Its exciting to have the mens and womens teams together. If theres one thing weve got, its Red Raider spirit.

Last year, Texas Tech claimed both the mens and womens titles at the Red Raider Open, with sophomore Kristen Koppes (Redding, Calif.) taking the womens individual title in a time of 20 minutes .02 seconds.