AVE MARIA, Fla.- The Ave Maria University cross country teams begin the 2019 season on Friday night, as the Gyrenes will compete in the Florida Atlantic University Invitational in Boca Raton. The event is the first of five regular season events for the Gyrenes, who return three former All-Conference runners to the 2019 roster. The program will be led by Elizabeth Feger, who is in her seventh season at the helm of the AMU cross country teams.

On the men's side, Ave Maria will be led by senior Gabe Hogan, who will look to become a four-time National Championship qualifier. Entering his senior season, the three-time First Team All-Sun Conference selection holds eleven of the top 12 times in school history. Hogan is one of five returners on the roster for Ave Maria, who will have 13 runners total competing this season.

The women's team returns 2019 First Team All-Conference honoree Mary Goetz, as well as 2018 Second Team selection Madeline Rublee. Goetz will look to qualify for the National Championship for the second season in a row. AMU's women's cross country roster features 15 runners, including multiple returners apart from Goetz and Rublee.

The Ave Maria University men's and women's cross country schedule for the 2019 season was announced on Wednesday. Head coach Elizabeth Feger's teams will compete in five meets before competing in The Sun Conference Championship hosted by USCB at the end of the season.
 
Following the season opener at FAU, the teams will fly to South Bend, Ind., to compete in the National Catholic Invitational hosted by Notre Dame. The Gyrenes will then host the inaugural Ave Maria Invitational. This will be the first time AMU has hosted a regular season meet. The course will be constructed at North Park in Ave Maria.
 
The final two meets of the regular season see the Gyrenes head to the Carolinas. AMU will compete in the Royals XC Challenge hosted by Queens University of Charlotte in Charlotte, N.C., on Oct. 11, with the final regular season meeting coming on Oct. 19 at the Asics Sandshark Invitational hosted by USCB in Hardeeville, S.C.
 
The Sun Conference Championship will be hosted by USCB on Saturday, Nov. 9. USCB last hosted the Sun Conference Championship meet in 2016. The season will come to an end across the nation on November 22 with the NAIA Cross Country National Championships in Vancouver, Washington.

Results of each race in the 2019 season will be available on the Ave Maria University athletics website shortly after the conclusion of each competition.