CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Cleveland State cross country team will begin the 2017 season this weekend, participating in the Duquesne Duals on Saturday, September 2. The women's 5K race is slated for a 9:00 a.m. start at Schenley Oval in Pittsburgh, Pa.

COURSE MAP | COURSE DIRECTIONS 

2017 Cleveland State Cross Country Roster
The Vikings, who are under the direction of 13-year head coach Joe Jaketic, return nine letterwinners from last season's squad, including Horizon League First Team honoree Karen Barrientos. This core group will be joined by six newcomers to give Jaketic one of his largest rosters to date.

Cleveland State All-Time Top Performances
Entering the 2017 season four Vikings rank on the top-50 5K and 6K performance lists, while Karen Barrientos owns Cleveland State records on both the 5K (18:05) and 6K (22:10) courses. Senior Samantha Butterbaugh appears on both the 5K and 6K top-50 lists, while sophomores Olivia Hammons and Jessica Finley both posted top-50 6K times last year. 

2017 Cleveland State Cross Country Schedule
Saturday's race will mark the first of nine races for the Vikings this season, and the first of four races that will be run on 5K courses (Duquesne Duals, Tommy Evans Invitational, Friendship Invitational, Jenna Strong Fall Classic).

Vikings Host Second Annual Alumni Gathering
Last weekend the Vikings hosted their second annual Alumni Gathering, with a large group of former student-athletes returning to the Cleveland area to enjoy an evening of camaraderie with current Viking runners. The group was able to exchange stories, provide bits of wisdom for the current student-athletes, and enjoy a night together.