DeBary, Fla. – The FGCU men's and women's cross country teams will take to the starting line for the first time this season at the Stetson Hatter Invitational on Saturday, Aug. 30, at the River City Nature Park in DeBary, Fla. The men's 8K is set to begin at 7:30 a.m. followed by the women's 5K at 8:05 a.m., on the course which will play host the 2014 Atlantic Sun Conference Championship meet later this fall.
 
"We are excited to begin competing this weekend," head coach Cassandra Goodson said. "We're looking forward to getting familiar with this year's championship course and racing against some of the conference's top contenders."
 
Saturday will mark the Eagles first appearance in the invite since 2010, where the men captured sixth place and the women took fifth. In its 2013 opener at the Westminster Invite, the Green and Blue swept the team awards with first-place victories from both the FGCU men and women finishing ahead of in-state foe Miami.
 
Five teams will join FGCU in the competition, including fellow A-Sun members Lipscomb, North Florida and Stetson, each taking advantage of an early opportunity to preview the championship location.
 
In the A-Sun Cross Country Preseason Poll, released by the league office earlier this week, both FGCU squads were listed fifth. This weekend the men will challenge No. 1 and reigning A-Sun champion Lipscomb, No. 3 UNF and No. 7 Stetson, while the women take on No. 2 UNF and No. 8 Stetson.
 
After graduating the two most successful runners in program history, Argeo Cruz and Kelly Perzanowski, the Eagles will look for new leadership in 2014. A member of the 2013 All-Conference Second Team, Austin Boetje (Lawrenceville, Ga./Mill Creek HS/Georgia State) was the second from FGCU to cross the finish line in five of last season's meets. Placing 10th individually at the A-Sun Championship, Boetje also helped the Eagles to a trio of top-three finishes last season. Taking 19th overall in the field of 227 runners, Boetje was a vital piece in the Eagles best-ever finish at the highly competitive Mountain Dew Invitational where they placed fourth beating Miami, LSU, USF and Stetson. The squad's only senior holds the third-fastest 8k time in program history with a 25:08.45, just 16 seconds behind Cruz's record of 24:51.92.
 
Women's team captain Alicen Wilbur (Pine Island, Fla./ Ida S. Baker HS) will look to continue the high note she ended 2013 on during her senior season. In addition to finishing either first or second for the Green and Blue in four of last fall's contests, Wilbur set two career bests within weeks of each other clocking a 19:38.23 in the 5k at Florida State on Oct. 11 and a 19:31.36 in the A-Sun Championship 6k on Nov. 2.
 
After they return from DeBary, the Eagles will travel to Tampa for the South Florida Invitational on Sept. 5. For complete coverage of FGCU men's and women's cross country this season, follow us on Twitter @FGCU_XC and visit www.FGCUAthletics.com.