EVANSVILLE, Ind. – With a successful 2012 season under their belts, the University of Evansville cross country teams will look for the next step this season as they open up the 2013 campaign with the UE Mid-America Opener.
 
Set to begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday, the men will run their 6K event before the women take their turn at approximately 11 a.m. at the UE Cross Country Course.  Aside from UE, Indiana State, Louisville and Oakland City will participate.
 
Both of Evansville's squads posted team wins last season, led by a pair of victories courtesy of the women as they took top honors at the Tennessee Tech Invitational and the UE Invitational.  Senior Kelby Jenkins led the way with four individual victories. 
 
"It is exciting to get back on the course," Jenkins said.  "We all have been practicing very hard every day and hope to see that pay off."
 
Jenkins is the defending race champion as her time of 14:40 was 16 seconds faster than her competition.  She was also victorious in the EIU Open, the Tennessee Tech Invitational and the UE Invitational.  In the last race of the season at the 6K NCAA's, Jenkins set the school record with a time of 21:11.
 
As a freshman in 2012, Elizabeth Kingshott posted four top ten finishes, including a pair of third-place efforts while Maria Lynn registered three top-12 efforts, including a 12^th at last season's opener.  The Purple Aces saw five women finish in the top ten in last year's event as Jenkins and Kingshott were joined by Alyssa Moran, Nicole Kreuzman and Kirsten Perrey.
 
With the graduation of Cody Stein, junior Josh Genet looks to take over the top spot on UE's men's roster.  He was victorious in the 2012 UE Invitational and came home fifth in the opener with a time of 18:46.75 in the 6K.  Stein was the top UE finisher in the event, taking fourth place.  Andrew Barrett (9^th) and Sam Mires (10^th) also brought home top ten efforts.
 
In both 2012 races, nearly 2/3 of the Aces runners poster personal records.  With much warmer weather expected for Saturday, the times may slow down a bit, but as Jenkins explained, that will not make too much of a difference.
 
"The opener is a good chance for us to see where we are at," Jenkins said.  "We all have to run under the same conditions, so there really is not a big advantage either way when it comes to the weather."

Admission to the races is free.