File Photo Courtesy of UD Photo Services

NEWARK, Del. -- University of Delaware men’s and women’s cross country head coach Jim Fischer has announced the schedule for the 2008 season with a slate that includes two home meets at White Clay Creek State Park.

Fischer will begin his 27th season as the men’s coach and will take over the reigns of the women’s program for the first time, succeeding Sue McGrath-Powell, who resigned earlier this summer.

Both the UD men’s and women’s teams will have identical schedules that include five regular season meets as well as competition at the Colonial Athletic Association Championships Nov. 1 at George Mason, the NCAA Regionals Nov. 15 at Princeton, and the IC4A/ECAC Championships Nov. 22 at Van Cortlandt State Park in New York.

Delaware will open the 2008 campaign at the Old Nassau Run hosted by Princeton Sept. 13 before returning home to host the annual Delaware Invitational Sept. 20 at White Clay Creek State Park.

The Blue Hens will take part in two meets during the weekend of Oct. 3-4, sending teams to the Paul Short Invitational Oct. 3 at Lehigh and to the George Mason Invitational Oct. 4. The regular season will conclude Oct. 18 with Delaware hosting the Blue Hen Classic as part of Homecoming festivities.

The Delaware men return eight letterwinners from last year’s team that placed fourth at the CAA Championships and will be anchored by junior Nick Pyle, who led all UD finishers with at 16th place finish at the league meet a year ago.

The Blue Hen women welcome back 14 letterwinners from last season’s squad that also placed fourth at the CAA Championships. Junior Christina Antonopoulos (at right) is back after placing eighth at the CAA meet a year ago as is sophomore Cassie White, who placed 23rd at the league meet as a freshman in 2007.

AGATE:

2008 University of Delaware Men’s/Women’s Cross Country Schedule:

Sept. 13 at Old Nassau Run at Princeton; Sept. 20, Delaware Invitational (Delaware); Oct. 3 at Paul Short Invitational (Lehigh); Oct. 4 at George Mason Invitational; Oct. 18 Blue Hen Invitational (Delaware); Nov. 1 at Colonial Athletic Association Championships (George Mason); Nov. 15 at NCAA Regionals (Princeton); Nov. 22 at ECAC (women)/IC4A (men) Championships at Van Cortlandt State Park, N.Y.; Nov. 24 at NCAA Championships at Indiana State, Terre Haute, Ind.