PHILADELPHIA – The La Salle women's cross country team will open their season on Friday by hosting Penn at the Wissahickon Valley Trail.

The runners will begin the 4K race at the Valley Green Inn at 5:00 PM. 

Stephanie Bearish, Wendy Hutchinson, and Meghan McGlinchey highlight the top women's returners from last year's conference championship team. All three upperclassmen finished in the top 15 at the A-10 Championship and were named all-conference performers in 2011.

Head coach Dan Ireland believes upperclassmen Samantha Gallagher and Meghan Lutz, both who finished in the top 20 at the 2010 A-10 Championships, will have big bounce-back seasons for the Explorers.
 
Ireland was named A-10 Coach of the Year in 2011 for both the men's and women's cross country teams.

“We are looking to be a better team with our top five runners and have much improved depth with our six through ten runners,” Ireland said.

The A-10 boasts a 16 team field this season and offers its strongest competition in years.

“The Atlantic 10 has always been a very competitive cross country league and with the addition of Butler and VCU, it will only get more competitive,” Ireland said.

“Still, we feel very good about our chances to repeat as Atlantic 10 Conference Champions.”