The CSU Bakersfield cross country team will be competing in six regular-season meets up and down the state of California this fall in the program's second season under head coach Ashley Benson.

The 2012 schedule, which was released on Friday, kicks off with the Asics Fullerton Opener on Sept. 1 in Brea, Calif. The Roadrunners will then head to the UC Riverside Invitational on Sept. 15 before traveling to Palo Alto, Calif. for the Stanford Invitational.

The 'Runners will have three more meets in October beginning with the UCSD Triton Classic in San Diego on Oct. 6 before they set out for the Northridge Invitational on Oct. 13 and then head to the Fullerton Titan Invitational on Oct. 19.

"We have a big class coming in and we are very excited to attend some bigger meets this year," Benson said. "We will gain exposure to first-class competition and learn to race at the highest level."

At the conclusion of the six regular-season meets, the Roadrunners will venture north to the NCAA Regional Championships which will be held in Seattle, Wash. on Nov. 9.

"Our schedule provides a variety of surfaces as our NCAA Regional Championship course will culminate the season on a mostly grass course which is the toughest surface to race well on," Benson said. "I am very excited for the season and cannot wait for our team to prove itself amongst some of the best competition in the country."

CSUB will be returning eight athletes from the 2011 season as well as several newcomers as Benson has succeeded in growing the program and adding more depth to the roster. The 2012 roster more than doubles the size of the roster from 2011.

~www.GoRunners.com~