LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. - The 2013 SCAC men's cross country season gets underway this weekend with four of the league's six teams in action - including the Trinity University men who open defense of their conference title on Saturday at the Alamo City Opener at Olmos Basin in San Antonio.

The 2013 SCAC Men's and Women's Cross Country Championships will be held Saturday, November 2 at the Clyde Fant Disc Course in Shreveport, La. Centenary College will serve as host.

2013 SCAC MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY PREVIEW

2013 Men's Cross Country Composite Schedule | Record Book 

Centenary College (5th place SCAC, did not compete in South/Southeast Region)
Head Coach: Shelley Armstrong (Centenary College '00), 9th season
Team Page | Roster | Schedule 

Key Returnees: Andrew Borel, Jr.; Kellen Bullock, Jr.
Key Losses: Miles McDonald; Chad Nelson.

Outlook: Centenary looks to build on its inaugural year in the conference when the Gents placed fifth at the 2012 SCAC Men's Cross Country Championship. Andrew Borel (39th-place finish at the 2012 SCAC championship meet) is one of four returning juniors expected to lead the Centenary harriers this season. Centenary opens the 2013 slate on Sept. 6 at the University of Texas at Tyler "Twilight Invitational" on the Patriots' campus. In addition, Centenary will host the 2013 SCAC Cross Country Championships on its home course – the Clyde Fant Disc Course in Shreveport – on November 2.

Colorado College (2nd place SCAC, 7th place West Region)
Head Coach: Ted Castaneda  (University of Colorado '74), 34th season
Team Page | Roster | Schedule 

Key Returnees: Nick Hall, Jr., 2012 SCAC Runner-of-the-Year, All-SCAC, All-Region; Graham Frank, Jr., All-SCAC, All-Region; Will Richmond, All-SCAC.
Key Losses: Max Marinelli, All-SCAC, All-Region.

Outlook: Heading up the list of returning veterans for the men are juniors Nick Hall and Graham Frank, with Hall entering the 2013 campaign as defending champion of the SCAC. Along with junior Will Richmond and sophomore Andrew Vierra, the Tigers – who had their three-year conference title run snapped last season – possess a solid four up front and should contend for the 2013 SCAC title in Shreveport on November 2.  CC opens the season at the Rust Buster Invitational in North Monument Valley Park, hosted by CU-Colorado Springs, on Saturday, September 7. A week earlier, on Aug. 31, the Tigers will find out what kind of shape they're in during an annual time trial at the University of Colorado in Boulder. 

University of Dallas (4th place SCAC, did not compete in South/Southeast Region)
Head Coach: Matt Buchhorn  (Hardin-Simmons University '10), 2nd season
Team Page | Roster | Schedule 

Key Returnees: Ryan McAnany, So., All-SCAC; Javier Secaira, So.
Key Losses: Clinton Heyer.

Outlook: The University of Dallas, fresh off a program-best fourth place finish at the 2012 SCAC Men's Cross Country Championship, hopes to build off that momentum in 2013. The Crusaders return sophomore Ryan McAnany, who notched the school's first All-SCAC cross country performance and was the second-fastest freshman at the 2012 conference meet. Dallas opens the season at the Texas Wesleyan University Invite on Friday, August 30.

Schreiner University (9th place ASC, did not compete in South/Southeast Region)
Head Coach: Jerry Dyes  (Abilene Christian University '64), 4th season
Team Page | Roster | Schedule 

Key Returnees: Caleb McDaniel, So.; Alex Guzman, Jr.; Kevin Perez, So.
Key Losses: None.

Outlook: SCAC newcomer Schreiner University has a young but experienced nucleus returning in 2013. With a roster composed entirely of freshmen and sophomores, the Mountaineers posted a ninth place finish at the 2012 ASC Men's Cross Country Championships – led by a 24th-place individual finish by then freshman Caleb McDaniel. McDaniel along with fellow sophomore Kevin Perez and junior Alex Guzman, should make up a solid trio at the top of this year's lineup. Schreiner opens up the 2013 campaign at the Texas Lutheran Invitational on September 7.

Southwestern University (3rd place SCAC, 18th place South/Southeast Region)
Head Coach: Francie Larrieu Smith (California State University-Long Beach), 16th season
Team Page | Roster | Schedule

Key Returnees: Philip Davis, Sr.; Alex Medrano, Jr.; Joe Sponsel, Sr.
Key Losses: Sam Martinez, All-SCAC; Thomas Bobbit; Stephen Fuentes.

Outlook: With only three returners from a year ago, Southwestern will have a lot of new faces in the lineup in 2013. Hoping to build from their third-place finish at the 2012 SCAC Championships, the Pirates will count on seniors Philip Davis and Joe Sponsel – even though this is Sponsel's first season of cross country having spent the previous three seasons on the men's soccer team. Along with junior Alex Medrano, Southwestern should have three strong runners at the top of its lineup. The Pirates open the 2013 season with a home meet at San Gabriel Park on Friday, August 30.

Trinity University (1st place SCAC, 2nd place South/Southeast Region, 32nd place NCAA)
Head Coach: Derick Lawrence (DePauw University '07), 2nd season
Team Page | Roster | Schedule

Key Returnees: Taylor Piske, So., 2012 SCAC Freshman of the Year, All-SCAC, All-Region; Gerado Hernandez, Sr., All-SCAC; Chris Soto, So., All-SCAC; Connor Amoruso, Jr., All-SCAC.
Key Losses: Pancho Edwards, All-SCAC, All-Region; Rob Edmonds, All-SCAC, All-Region; Sal Perdomo, All-SCAC, All-Region; Mark Greene, All-SCAC

Outlook: It was a historic season for the Trinity men in 2012. The Tigers won their first-ever SCAC men's cross country title, finished second at the South/Southeast Regional and competed at its first-ever NCAA national championship meet (finishing 32nd). Trinity looks to back up that historic season with an even more successful campaign in 2013. Four of the Tigers' eight All-SCAC performers from a season ago return, including 2012 SCAC Freshman-of-the-Year and all South/Southeast Region honoree, Taylor Piske. Senior Gerado Hernandez, junior Connor Amoruso and sophomore Chris Soto also earned All-SCAC honors last season. Although the 2012 season will be a tough act to follow, Trinity's returning nucleus, along with a bevy of new faces, has the program poised for another conference and region title run in 2013. Trinity, No. 2 in the South/Southeast in the USTFCCCA preseason Division III Regional rankings, kicks off its 2013 campaign by hosting the Alamo City Opener on Saturday, Aug. 31, at Olmos Basin in San Antonio.