GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum College cross country team will open its season this Friday when they compete at the 2012 Eye Opener Invitational in Spartanburg, S.C.

It will be the first of five events this season, culminating with the Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Championship on Oct. 20 that will be hosted by Tusculum on the Greeneville campus.

Second-year coach Suzanne Byrd returns 10 letter-winners from a year ago, led by 2011 most valuable runners David Cooper and Jenny Grant.

Cooper, a sophomore from Greeneville, Tenn., had a banner rookie season as he emerged as TC's top runner in his six events, including first place honors at the Maryville Invitational. He earned a spot on the SAC All-Freshman Team with his 21st place finish at the SAC Championship with an 8K time of 27:44.80, which is the 16th fastest time in school history. He was named to the Preseason All-Conference Second Team for 2012.

Senior Elijah Minter returns for his final collegiate campaign. The Spring City, Tenn. native competed in all six meets in his first Tusculum season, where he finished 32nd at the Guilford Cross Country Festival.

Sophomore Kekona Soon is back for the TC men's team as the Knoxville, Tenn. product accounted for three top 40 finishes in 2011, including 14th place finish at the Maryville Invitational. Like Cooper and Minter, Soon competed in six races, including the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional.

Sophomore George Blalock tallied a pair of top-40 performances in his five meets for the Pioneers in 2011. The Greeneville, Tenn. native finished 36th at the Guilford event and 37th at Maryville.

Sophomore Zachary Simpson rounds out the returnees for the Pioneers. The Clinton, Tenn. native made four appearances, including a 16th-place showing at the Maryville Invitational and came in 23rd at Guilford.

Two newcomers will be on the men's roster this fall. Greeneville, Tenn. freshman Lawson Burrow., a Chuckey-Doak High School graduate, was the Blue Ridge Athletic Conference individual champion last year. Burrow earned All-State honors in track and was a two-time All-Region harrier for the Black Knights. Also joining the program is former Pioneer men's soccer standout Javier Portillo (Guatemala City, Guatemala), who is expected to add depth to the TC line-up.

Grant leads a determined women's squad as the two-time team MVP is back for her final Tusculum season. The Franklin, Tenn. senior has proved to be Tusculum's most consistent and reliable performers. She accounted for two top-30 finishes, including 17th at the Maryville Invitational and 26th at Guilford. She was also one of three runners to compete in six events for the Pioneers in 2011.

Grant also shined in the classroom as she was named to the Capital One Academic All-America® Team last season.

Hendersonville, Tenn. sophomore Lakesa Hendrix was Tusculum's second most consistent performer. In her six meets, she finished in the top 30 on three occasions and was the team's top runner at the Maryville Invitational as she finished 14th.

Ashley Gregg, a sophomore from Parrottsville, Tenn., competed in all six events and finished 31st at the Maryville Invitational. She also placed 34th at Guilford and 48th at the Carson-Newman Challenge.

Senior Kim Brown will once again be serving double-duty on the Tusculum cross country and women's soccer squads. The Scarborough, Ontario, Canada native competed in four meets, including 22nd at Maryville and 70th at the SAC Championship.

Sophomore Carol Hogan appeared in four meets as a rookie, including a season-best 37th place showing at Maryville. The Pelham, Ala. native posted her best 5K time at the Carson-Newman Challenge at 28:34.99.

Tusculum welcomes three newcomers to its women's program, including the Greeneville High School duo of Paige Bible and Allison Hall as the pair helped the Greene Devils to back-to-back conference titles and a 2010 state championship.

Crossville, Tenn. freshman Maggie Bernabei was a four-time All-State runner at Cumberland County High School. She recorded a top seven finish at the state championship four times and was named her team's most valuable runner a year ago.

Following Friday's meet in Spartanburg, the Pioneers will also compete at the Lenoir-Rhyne Invitational (Sept. 8), Carson-Newman Challenge (Sept. 15) in Morristown and the Bulldog Invitational (Sept. 29) in Charleston, S.C. TC will travel to the Maryville Invitational (Oct. 6) before hosting the SAC Championship. The NCAA Southeast Region Championship will be held in Charlotte, N.C. on Nov. 3, while the DII National Championship will be contested on Nov. 17 in Joplin, Mo.

- TC -