BUENA VISTA, Va. - As a season opening tune-up nears, Head Coach Kyle Chandler of the Southern Virginia University men's and women's cross country teams has his teams geared up for an exciting fall of racing.

In five seasons as part of the USA South, the Knights have won a combined six team conference championships, evenly split between the men's and women's teams. They've also placed well within the region as part of their quest to be nationally relevant.

Staying true to that desire, the team has a slew of meets that will attract the strongest programs in the country, all levels considered. After a season-opening tune up at Eastern Mennonite, the Knights will get a preview of the course at Panorama Farms in Earlysville, Virginia, site of this year's NCAA South Regional Championship.

They'll return to Lehigh's Paul Short Run in early October before a potential visit to Harkness Memorial State Park in Connecticut for the Connecticut College Invite, or remain close to home with the South Region Showdown at Green Hill Park.

The postseason begins on October 30th in Brevard, North Carolina for the USA South Championship meet. It'll be the first USA South cross country championship hosted by Brevard College.

The men's team is looking to return to a form that saw them win three consecutive USA South titles upon joining the conference in 2021. Joseph Hughes, a former All-Region performer, returns for his senior year to lead the squad. His brother, Ethan Hughes, returns after serving two years as a full-time missionary. During his freshman year in 2023-2024, Hughes broke a program record in the outdoor 800m and posted several All-Conference performances. 

Bayleigh Redd-Armstrong, a returning national qualifier and two-time All-American in track & field, is the top returner on a women's team that holds loads of potential. A fellow senior, Sasha Braddy, is a 3x time all-region finisher, while Amee Newman was one of the best middle-distance runners in the region during the spring.

The Knights will turn to their spikes this Friday, September 4th at Eastern Mennonite University. The men's 5K begins at 6:30 PM, followed by the women at 7:00 PM. 

For the most up-to-date information and details on the team, visit knightathletics.com and follow @knightxctf on Instagram.