The 2009 Emory University men's and women's cross country teams make their debut on Friday (Aug. 28) when they venture to nearby Piedmont Park for an event against Georgia State and Berry College.  Action starts at 5:45 p.m.

Head Coach John Curtin and the women's squad are ranked 27^th nationally among Division III teams by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. In addition, that organization has pegged the Eagles as the No. 1 squad in the South/Southeast Region.  Leading the way for this year's team will be senior Rebecca Flink (Loudonville, NY), an all-region performer last year, and sophomore Tess Gallegos (Kennesaw, GA), who recorded First Team All-UAA acclaim as well as all-region honors in 2008. All totaled, seven letterwinners return from last season's team that captured 24^th place at the NCAA Championship.

The men's side is also ranked No. 1 in the South/Southeast Region and holds down the No. 18 slot nationally.  Coming off an 18^th-place finish at the NCAA Championships last season, the 2009 squad is a veteran-dominated squad with 16 returning letterwinners.   The Eagles will be led by the senior trio of Charles Meade (Wellesley, MA), Tommy Fyffe (Cincinnati, OH) and Paul Winterhalter (Ardmore, PA).  Meade became the first men's team member to earn All-America honors since 2003 when he finished 18^th at the NCAA Championships and also came away with First Team All-UAA kudos.   Fyffe landed First Team All-UAA status and raced to all-region honors while Winterhalter was an all-region performer.