Photo: Jessie Ermak (Photo by UD Photo Services)

NEWARK, Del. -- The University of Delaware men’s and women’s cross country teams will compete in seven events during the upcoming 2010 season, including hosting two home meets at White Clay Creek State Park.

Head coach Jim Fischer, now in his 29th season at Delaware, will once again lead both the Blue Hen men’s and women’s teams. The Blue Hen men will welcome back seven letterwinners from last year’s squad that placed third at the Colonial Athletic Association while the UD women boast the return of eight letterwinners from a team that finished fourth at the CAA meet.

Junior Jessie Ermak, who placed 17th at the CAA Championships a year ago, leads the Blue Hen women while senior Steve Vincent and junior Nate Parmenter pace the UD men. Vincent placed 14th at the CAA meet a year ago while Parmenter finished 16th.

Delaware will host two events during the upcoming season, including the Delaware Invitational on Sept. 18 and the Blue and Gold Invitational on Oct. 16. Both events will be held on the White Clay Creek State Park Course in Newark.

The season will open Sept. 11 when the Blue Hens head to Penn State to compete in the Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational followed by the Delaware Invitational on Sept. 18.

After a two-week break, the Hens will return to action with three events in October highlighted by the Paul Short Invitational Oct. 1 at Lehigh, the Blue & Gold Invitational Oct. 13 at Delaware, and the CAA Championships Oct. 30 at UNC Wilmington.

The season will close in November with the Blue Hens competing at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional at Penn State on Nov. 13 and at the ECAC and I4A Championships Nov. 20 at Van Cortlandt State Park in New York City.

AGATE:

2010 University of Delaware Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Schedule

Sept. 11 at Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational (Penn State); Sept. 18 at Delaware Invitational (Delaware); Oct. 1 at Paul Short Invitational (Lehigh); Oct. 16 at Blue & Gold Invitational (Delaware); Oct. 30 at Colonial Athletic Association Championships (UNC Wilmington); Nov. 13 at NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regionals (Penn State); Nov. 20 at ECAC/IC4A Championships at Van Cortlandt State Park, New York, N.Y.