MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama cross country men's and women's teams will open the 2017 season Friday afternoon on their home course as the Jaguars host the Azalea City Classic held at The Grounds of Mobile.

Along with the Jags, fellow Sun Belt members Louisiana-Lafayette and Louisiana-Monroe, as well as Alabama State and Mobile to round out the five-team field.  The collegiate women's 5K will begin at 5:15 p.m. (CDT) and then be followed by the men's 6K 30 minutes later.

South Alabama head coach Paul Brueske and the 2017 men's and women's team are anxious to compete this week and the group is looking forward to opening the season.

"We love competing at home and our runners are excited to get underway," Brueske said.  "We have a few runners coming off minor injuries and won't open at this meet, but we should field a compatible squad.  We still have a relatively young team so it'll be good to get them some race experience as they continue to develop."

Prior to the college portion of the event, boys and girls junior varsity and varsity squads will also compete.

Last week the Jaguar women received 100 points and were picked to finish fourth by the league coaches in the preseason poll, while the men were ranked fifth after picking up 59 total points.

The South Alabama women return three letterwinners — Laura Labuschaigne, Kailee Kiminski and Gillianne Sharp from last year's roster.  Sophomore Olivia Swan was also a member of the squad and competed in one meet last fall.  USA will also have five freshman on this season's roster — Katelyn Cowie, Carolien Millenaar, Susanna Pudner, Nichole Van Der Merwe and Cindy Von Ahlefeldt.  Von Ahlefeldt was a member of the track and field roster this past spring.  

Labuschaigne is the top returnee to the Jag line up on the women's side as the junior from Durbanville, Western Cape, South Africa, captured first-team all-Sun Belt honors last fall and finished inside the top 30 in all five of her races, including a first-place finish as the Azalea City Classic with a time of 21:44.  Labuschaigne will be leading a young squad on Friday as she is the only returnee scheduled to compete as Swan, Kiminski and Sharp will not compete.

For the Jag men, USA returns two letterwinners in senior runner Phillip Friedlander and sophomore Luke Fielding.  Sophomore Ben Rolader competed in two events last fall posting his best finish of the season at the Azalea City coming in 14th with a time of 26:38.  Graylon Cross and Dylan Pausic were also members of the squad last season, but neither competed in any race last fall and aren't scheduled to compete this weekend.  

Roster newcomers Warno Potgeiter and Migael Strydom competed for the Jaguars this past spring during the track and field season, but 2017 will mark their first collegiate cross country seasons.  South also welcomes a pair of freshmen this season in Nate Pudner and John Paul Rumore.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

Join the Finish Line Club, the track and field and cross country specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund.  All donations to the Finish Line Club go directly to support the South Alabama track and field/cross country programs.  For more information on how you can join visit:  jaguarathleticfund.com/finishlineclub.

—USA—