OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City University men's and No. 25 women's cross country opens the season Thursday with a rare night meet in Tulsa.
 
OCU runs in Rogers State's Distance after Dark, beginning at 10 p.m. at the Mohawk Sports Complex.
 
OCU Notes
The Course: The course at Mohawk Sports Complex is a one-mile loop. The women will run five kilometers and the men will race four miles. There is no elevation gain and fast times are expected. The course runs around and through the athletic fields with field lighting giving runners visibility.
 
The Field: While entries are still open until Tuesday evening, last year's field included Rogers State, John Brown, Oklahoma Baptist, Missouri Southern, Oklahoma Christian, Arkansas-Fort Smith and Neosho Community College. RSU, JBU, OC, UAFS and OBU are returning.
 
First Meet Women: Oklahoma City won two women's meet last season, the SAC Championship and the season-opener at Southern Nazarene. Kamryn Boller, Makenzie DeHart, Mattie Adams and Emily Schneider were all in the scoring five of that two-mile opener last season.
 
First Meet Men: Like the women's team, OCU's men won the season opener at SNU at the SAC Championships last year. Carson Patten, Ryan McLaughlin and Jacoby Nance were scorers in that season opener at SNU last season.
 
Returning Women
The Stars had six women make the All-Conference team last year and four of those return, including Erika Pena, Isabelle Spiller, Kamryn Boller and Makenzi Dehart. Also back this season are Mattie Adams, Florencia Cabrera, Skye Gammon, Channey Guzman and Emily Schneider
 
Returning Men
The Stars had seven All-Conference performers on the men's side last year and all seven have moved on. Returning Stars include Alexander Daly, Ayenew Devany, Belkhalfi Hamza, Robert Manzo, Ryan McLaughlin, Javier Medina, Jacoby Nance, Carson Patten, Hendrick Ramirez, Riley Randall, Jack Reed and Brayden Witthorne.
 
Women's Newcomers
Three freshman from Pauls Valley join the OCU women this season. Isabella Gutierrez and twins Keira Readnour and Kenzi Readnour.
  
Men's Newcomers
Freshman Cooper Phillips out of Ardmore (Plainview HS) and transfer Demarion Dean are on the cross country roster this season.