CHARLESTON, S.C.  – The Citadel Men's & Women's cross country team is set to open the 2025 season on Aug. 29 at the Buccaneer Open.
 
The Citadel cross country teams launch the 2025 campaign on Friday, Aug. 29, at the Buccaneer Open, hosted by Charleston Southern.
 
The women's team includes ten runners, with four returning and six new members for the season. Sara Grace Melton is back for her senior year and serves as the military captain of the Bulldogs.
 
The men's team has 11 runners, with six returning and five new runners for the season. Owen Sharnas comes back as the top runner for the Bulldogs and will serve as the military captain for the team.
 
Head coach Marie Domin on the season

We have a phrase in cross country that says every place counts, meaning that each person you pass will affect the team score, and even if it's just one person, it will make a difference. This is especially true for the 2025 team, as we will often see them in a pack. We need them to pass people in pairs, using each other to move up together. That team aspect of cross country will not only motivate them throughout the season but also help us improve in the SoCon.
 
We have a freshman team that is going to be a force. So, my hope is that instead of competing against your teammate, our upperclassmen are pushed enough to pull a PACK through the finish line with them. This first race is just a workout, and when we head to McAlpine in Charlotte, we'll watch those training partners make moves together. For many Division I athletes, 'Team guts beats individual greatness' is a phrase that has been forgotten. The Bulldogs live by this credo, and it will be evident at the finish line.
 

The Bulldogs start the season at the Buccaneer Open on Aug. 29, followed by the Queen City Invitational on Sept. 12, the Fire Tower Project on Oct. 3, the Sand Shark Invitational on Oct. 11, the USC Upstate Invitational on Oct. 18, and the Southern Conference Championships on Nov. 1.