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DALLAS (SMU) – The SMU women's cross country team will make its first trip outside Texas this season when the Mustangs travel to Earlysville, Va., to compete at the Virginia/Panorama Invitational Friday, hosted by the University of Virginia at Panorama Farms.

This is the program's first trip to Panorama Farms, where the Mustangs will face 12 teams in a 5-kilometer race that set to begin at 10 a.m. ET/9 a.m. CT.

SMU is ranked No. 5 in the South Central region and will be competing against eight other regionally ranked teams, including three nationally ranked teams (No. 14 Virginia, No. 16 Syracuse, No. 19 BYU). The Cavaliers (No. 2) are one of five regionally ranked squads from the Southeast Region, including William and Mary (No. 3), Coastal Carolina (No. 8), Clemson (No. 13) and Appalachian State (No. 15). Other regionally ranked programs competing are Syracuse (No. 2, Northeast), BYU (No. 3, Mountain) and Bucknell (No. 9, Mid-Atlantic).

After its first win of the season at the Gerald Richey Invitational at UT Arlington two weeks ago, head coach Cathy Casey feels confident in the team's training heading into one of their toughest challenges this season.

"We have a had a really solid two weeks of training. I think the team is excited to race and see where we stack up against some of the top teams in the country," Casey said.

ABOUT PANORAMA FARMS

Panorama Farms is a privately owned farm of 850 acres located off Earlysville Road, approximately six miles from the Grounds of the University of Virginia. The property has nine miles of cut grass trails and 30 miles of wooded mountain bike trails. There are two different 5K courses, as well as a 6K, an 8K and a 10K course, each with a common starting line and finish line. The courses are laid out entirely on rolling grass fields that are maintained year-round. The courses are exceptionally spectator friendly.

The home of the Virginia cross country teams, Panorama Farms was the site of the 2006 and 2007 Atlantic Coast Conference Cross Country Championships and the 2013 and 2015 NCAA Southeast Regional Championships. Panorama Farms will also be the site of the NCAA Southeast Regional Championships in 2016 and 2017.

SEASON RECAP
Freshman Charlotte-Tara Murphy has been the Mustangs' top-finisher in the team's two meets this season. Murphy led a trio of Mustangs, who finished in the top-five in the season opener, earning a third-place finish in 13:53.9 in the 4K race in Waco, Texas, at the Bear Twilight Invitational. Senior Holly Archer placed fourth in a personal-best time of 13:54.1, while freshman Hannah Miller finished fifth in her first collegiate race in a time of 13:58.6. Sophomore Rakel Barrientos also ran a personal-best time of 14:12.2 finishing eighth, while senior Justine Anthony placed ninth (14:21.2).

In week two, Murphy again set the pace as she won the Gerald Richey Invitational to lead the Mustangs to their first team victory of the season. SMU dominated the 5K race to take the team title with five Mustangs finishing in the top six, led by Murphy's time of 17:23.7 seconds.

UP NEXT

The Virginia/Panorama Invitational is the third of seven meets on SMU's schedule. The Mustangs will get three weeks to train before heading up to Wisconsin to compete at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational Oct. 14.

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