FLORENCE, SC - The Francis Marion University men's and women's cross country teams will open their 2006 schedules on Friday (Sept. 1) when the Patriots compete in the USC Gamecock Invitational.

The meet will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will include men’s and women’s 5,000-meter races at Fort Jackson’s Hilton Field.

Among the schools expected to participate are Charleston Southern University, The Citadel, Clemson University, Coker College, College of Charleston, Elon University, FMU, Georgia Southern University, Mercer University, South Carolina State University, UNC Asheville, UNC Pembroke, USC Aiken, and the University of South Carolina’s women’s team.

FMU head coach Mark Bluman welcomes back four runners on each of his squads. “We have more depth this year, and that has me very excited about our prospects for success. We return our top runners on the men’s team and the top three runners on the women’s side.”

The men are led by senior Patrick Hopewell, who was last year’s team most valuable player after being the Patriots’ top finisher in six of seven meets. He will be pushed for the leadership of the Patriot pack by sophomore Steve Holmes.

Sophomore Kelly May, who earned All-Conference and team MVP honors last year as a freshman, heads the returnees on the women’s team. Junior Codi Knoch, the women’s MVP in 2004, is healthy after suffering through an injury-plagued 2005 campaign.

The 2006 FMU slate includes five regular-season meets, followed by the Peach Belt Conference championships, Oct. 21 in Columbus, Ga., and the NCAA Division II South Region meet, Nov. 4 in Memphis, Tenn.