The LSU cross country team hosts its first and only home meet of the season Saturday at Highland Road Park.
The Lady Tigers run 6,000-meters at 8:05 a.m. and the Tigers run 8,000-meters at 9:15 a.m. in the 2011 LSU Invitational.
“It’s a stepping stone to the conference meet but our home meet. We take that like defending our home,” said LSU coach Mark Elliott. “Most of the competition that comes to our home meet are teams within the same ability of our team so of course we’re trying to win the fun.”
Last year’s top finisher for the Lady Tigers, senior Laura Carleton, is using her redshirt this year but will run in the meet as an unattached runner.
Both teams opened their seasons last week with second-place finishes at the Mississippi State invitational.
Senior Cullen Doody won the men’s race with a new personal record of 25:23.42 for 8,000-meters.
Doody said the Tigers will be more confident and comfortable running on their home course since they’ll know where all the mile markers are, when the hills are coming up and strategic locations to pick up the pace.
Doody also said that even though the team wants to perform well at home, runners aren’t going to rest this week because they’re training for the Southeastern Conference Championships.
The men and women both had strong performances from runners last week, including junior Leigh-Ann Naccari, who finished seventh overall and was the fastest Lady Tiger in the meet, running 18:56.28 for 5,000-meters.
“I’m glad to be able to have my friends and family there to see me race,” Naccari said.
 
 
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Contact Andrew Chapple at [email protected]